


The Realm of Roses

by Naeryda



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bounty Hunters, Class Differences, Curses, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy, Magic, Nobility, Nyotalia, Retelling, Romance, Royalty, Wizards
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-07-16 02:12:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 38,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7247992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naeryda/pseuds/Naeryda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After leaving her country, bounty hunter Sakura seeks any chance to gain money and finds the perfect opportunity when her eyes fall on a wanted poster of the legendary beast of the land. The monster is mentioned as one that tyrannises the wood’s inhabitants and people. And who could be better suited for this job than Sakura? </p><p>[Medieval Fantasy AU]</p><p>Pairings: Asasaku, PruHun, AmeViet</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Side note: Do you know how many Plot bunnies I have for this pairing (Asasaku)? I desperately need to write them down :’D. The Beauty and the Beast (one of my favourite fairy tales) was significant for this fanfiction; I had this idea in my head which was based on the classical fairy tale but as always I wanted to approach it in a different way. Nonetheless this story still has elements of The Beauty and the Beast. 
> 
> Story focus on Asasaku/Asakiku (with female Japan), side pairings are PruHun and AmeViet.
> 
> Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adventure  
> Warnings: Contains language, minor violence, badass females and a certain frustrated Brit.  
> English is not my first language, so sorry if there are any mistakes or misunderstandings :S.

* * *

_“Not all those who wander are lost.”― J.R.R. Tolkien_

* * *

 

“I bet you were afraid.”

“O-oh no, I was not!”

“Then why did you not enter the woods?”

Elizabeta rolled her eyes; she had witnessed this silly talk for ten minutes now. Of course it was a conversation between drunken men, and she did not mean to interrupt them – it was her job to serve them drinks and receive money for working in the pub. So she had to endure such _talks_ every day, especially in the latest of the night.

“Excuse me, Miss, what are they talking about?”

Eliza averted her eyes towards the man who sat by the bar. The moment he had entered the establishment, she had suspected him to be _different_ from the other guests. He had remained extremely calm, sipping slowly on his drink, not once taking his dark coat and hood off. Some dark strands of his dark hair stuck on his cheekbones – the only part of the face Eliza could clearly see. The only information she was certain of was that this man was a stranger and not an inhabitant of the village.

“The legendary cursed woods. Many men think they could enter it to prove their courage  . . . or to convince everyone from their manliness, whatever they think would impress us women.”

The man lifted his face, his scarf hiding his chin – but his eyes were a clear brown and Eliza knew from that moment on that this man in front of her was no man at all.

“Cursed woods?” the black-haired woman asked, noticing Eliza’s blinking eyes, knowing fully well that her real gender had been discovered.

“. . . Indeed,” Eliza pursed her lips, “Why are you even interested in this tale?”

The hooded woman tilted her head, before taking another gulp of her drink. Eliza, who rather talked with her than listening to her clients’ _enlightening_ conversation, decided to explain the legendary tale to the curious female.

“It is said that those woods are enchanted. The deeper the forest, the more dangerous the area becomes. According to the legend there is a mansion in which a giant animal _,_ a _beast_ , is taking shelter. It is tyrannising the woods, killing humans or eating them alive. Some even say it is a great castle.”

“Oh . . . sounds interesting.”

Eliza observed the woman again, her question was formed in a soft voice and the woman seemed smaller than the brunette herself – but with the cloak and hood, her form did not reveal her true identity.

“It is, I am not quite certain if there is even a mansion or castle, because unlike those twats,” she turned her head towards the speaking – and clearly drunk – party, “I had already entered the woods and discovered no anomalies such as beasts, ghosts, monsters or witches; only an annoying white-haired man who likes to brag in front of his brother whenever I pass them. Either way, some people live at the entry of the forest and claim that everything is as normal as it should be – with the exception of the aforementioned man.”

“Of course,” her conversation partner chuckled lightly, a noise that was too soft and feminine to sound like that of a man. “And that man is not enchanted in?”

“Oh Lord no, he thinks the Ladies are enchanted by his looks . . . but no.”

Silence followed after their chuckling, before the barmaid decided to speak again.

“If you want, I can give you room for the night,” Eliza suggested before the brunette whispered as she leant forward towards her client, “It is not save at times like these for a girl.” Despite her feeling that the hooded woman was capable of defending herself, Eliza instinctually wanted to protect the female stranger from drunken men.

“Oh it would be delightful to remain here,” she answered, “but believe me I know very well how dangerous the outside world is.”

This brought a smile to Eliza’s lips, “By the way, the name is Elizabeta, but I prefer Eliza.” The mysterious woman nodded before introducing herself as Sakura, but wanted to be called _Kura_ whenever they were in public.

After she had worded her intention of accepting Eliza’s invitation to stay over the night, the woman stood on her feet – her cloak moving a bit and giving Eliza the perfect view of the weapons the stranger was carrying underneath her warm attire.

The brunette bartender raised a brow before smirking at her new houseguest; she wished she would own such a collection of armoury but still questioned why the petite female was in possession of such weapons – she certainly did not need more than two to defend herself.

 

“Well we need another one who would be courageous enough to enter it and find the monster!” someone of the men exclaimed loudly before wielding a piece of paper in his hands. The atmosphere grew more joyous afterwards and Eliza huffed; those men certainly had their way of amusing themselves.

“M-Miss? Can I hang it here?”

Eliza stared at the asking man, who was eager to fix the aforementioned paper on the wall. Nonetheless the young lad was frightened by the fierce brunette barmaid and decided to ask her politely: She only nodded, a short gesture which indicated that he should be quicker in his actions.

 

“These men . . . ,” Eliza mumbled before changing the topic again, “I do not often let people sleep here, but . . .” The brunette’s words slowed before she quietened completely. Her guest was not listening but starring at the hanging announcement on the wall; it was a wanted-poster that displayed a possible image of the beast from the legend, the barmaid had only spoken of some minutes ago. Without wasting time, the hooded female grabbed the paper and folded it before stuffing it neatly in her side bag. A blush adorned Sakura’s face as she looked back at Eliza. She was ashamed to have been discovered and to have not listened to the brunette’s words. “Please excuse my rudeness,” the dark-haired spoke, bowing in front of Eliza.

She shook her head, claiming that there was no apology needed; she now knew who or what the mysterious woman was: a bounty hunter.

 

“If you really wish to find the beast for the sake of money, then I can lead you to the entry of the forest,” Eliza declared as she was showing the hunter her guestroom.

“It would be a great help, but I do not want to burden you in any kind,” Sakura replied, “You have been very friendly and I cannot be more thankful for your hospitality.”

Eliza was not familiar with words of apology, appreciation or gentleness. The barmaid was used to ruthless drunken men who tended to believe that handsomeness was their middle name after having consumed more than one glass of alcohol. Still, the female was curious of the bounty hunter’s intention of receiving the money – there had to be a story behind it.

“You are welcome . . . Tomorrow morning, I will take you to the woods, but I cannot promise you that there will be any magic, beast or mansion. If there would be, then I would have already claimed that grand house to be mine.”

 

* * *

 

 

Sakura laid awake the rest of the evening, thinking what will await her in the forest. Of course, she was a professional bounty huntress that had made many experiences on her mission with her deceased mentor, but never before had she faced a situation where magic was used. She was not even certain if she believed in supernatural occurrences, but after she had seen the amount she would receive for killing the forest’s monster, the dark-haired wanted to take part in that mission. It was a chance – she was almost broke and needed the reward.

 “You will succeed,” she whispered in an assuring tone. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned to the side, her warm brown eyes opened and caught the bracelet on the wooden table in the room – a gift from her mentor and father figure Yao Wang who had died five years ago. Having lost her parents at a young age, he and Lien had found her on the streets. They had been the family she had always craved to have.

Their mentor had taught them the way of fighting; the world had been cruel with them and their only chance of receiving money was the hunting of wanted persons – it was not the noblest occupation, but one that helped them to survive. Their success made them famous among the criminals who feared the skilled group.

As Yao died, Lien decided to pause in her activities while Sakura distracted herself with continuing her job.

Since the King’s guard had enforced their army and decided to make stricter controls in their home country, Sakura was forced to leave. Many bounty hunters were losing their jobs or crossing another land for the sake of surviving.

While Lien was staying at their home, the huntress was always sending her money and writing – although it were only a few words – her; telling Lien that she was fine, although the youngest was aware of the hard job.

At that thought, Sakura eyed the wanted poster again. Horns adorned the creatures head and the face hidden by scales. The only features of the monstrous face were the eyes, as green as the forest. But she could not trust that sketch – if no one had seen the beast before, how could they know about their appearance?

“I will write her,” she suddenly whispered, leaving her bed to fetch a piece of paper and a quill to inform her sister figure of the beast she would hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

  _“The unexamined life is not worth living”― Platon_

* * *

 

 Droplets from the recent rainfall slipped off the green leaves, the breeze was soft and tepid, as Ludwig Beilschmidt and his older brother Gilbert were both walking on the mudded pathway towards the village. They had left their master’s mansion half an hour ago and the youngest of the brothers could not enjoyed the silence ever since. Indeed, his brother Mr Gilbert Beilschmidt was speaking of their cursed landlord, the uninformed inhabitants – although the rumours have already been a conversation topic in the pubs – and the magical forest they were just passing through. For years, the two siblings were marching the same way back and forth running errands for the man they worked for.

“I saw the piece of paper, Lud, believe me, they assume he looks like a terrible monster,” Gilbert explained, widely gesturing with his arms. “With several horns, dark wings, big filthy scales . . . He looks like a dragon with these and he _is_ depicted as a grand beast, although he is smaller than both of us . . . His character resembles that of a dragon but not his looks.”

Ludwig casted a neutral glance at his talking brother.

“And the bounty for his head . . . If people start to believe this, then we need to call someone for protection, even if I am strong enough to fight them . . .”

“If we ask Prince Alfred for help, then the villagers will be more than alarmed, for they conclude that there must be a reason for a royal to arrive here . . . For ten years, they have not taken any notice and the situation has never raised any questions.”

Gilbert crossed his arms, his head held high. “Then someone must have seen something.” A violet glowing firefly landed on his nose before he swatted it away. “Those magical creatures in these woods are unnerving . . . So no wonder someone has decided to enter it.”

“But drawing him as a mighty fearful dragon? They are far from the truth.”

“Luddy,” Gilbert’s raised brows challenged his brother, “He does have some scales, two horns and marks. Someone must have seen him somewhere and exaggerated the descriptions.”

“Or they must have believed a drunken man’s words. The bar is full of idiots.” Ludwig almost wanted to add his brother’s name in a whispering tone but decided against it. Both knew Gilbert had his strange antics whenever he was drunk – especially at _the_ bar he had lately visited.

“No . . . ,” his brother intervened, a dreamy look adorning his face, an odd sight Ludwig had endured since the beginning of spring two months ago. He did not need to emphasise his reason for carrying such a lovely expression – a woman had stolen his heart and Ludwig knew every detail of his brother’s chosen lady. Gilbert had described her as a breath-taking creature with long wavy chestnut hair that framed her goddess-like face, intense green eyes; the hue of green of a forest in the latest of the summer. Ludwig knew exactly who she was: the barmaid at their local bar. She had started working there two years ago and Gilbert had always declared his hate for her, before he suddenly changed his mind. The subject of love was an unknown territory for Ludwig, but he knew that feelings could develop in any situation at any unfitting time. And so this had happened to his brother: he had always disliked the beautiful barmaid until two months ago. After avoiding the bar for more than one year, Gilbert once decided to have a drink there again, where he had come to the conclusion that he may have fallen in love with the brunette after seeing her again – to her dismay, because she did not want to meet him again. The youngest Beilschmidt had only shaken his head after being told of their _reunion_ : the barmaid was blissfully unaware of the affection his brother now tried to show her.

A blush graced Gilbert’s face as he thought of her. The mere mention of the bar forced him to picture the barmaid in front of him; even if he had known her for years, Gilbert was unaware of her name and wished to know the syllables of the beauty’s given name. If only the occasion of him meeting her outside the bar was given.

“Oh she is just so wonderful,” he mumbled with a speeding heart, not noticing that Ludwig’s steps were not matching his anymore.

“And very present at the moment.”

Upon hearing his brother’s strange statement, Gilbert lifted his head, only to be greeted with the sight of the woman that was on his mind and her hooded companion. At first, the white-haired man thought it a miracle that his prayers had been heard, but the more his eyes lingered on the barmaid’s _friend_ , the more Gilbert grew suspicious – and not of the hood or the mysterious aura the unknown person was presenting, but the fact that his precious love interest was with _another_.

“ _Who_ is he?”

Ludwig was as wary as his brother, but less angry over the fact that the barmaid was in the woods with another man. “I don’t know, but I don’t think they are here for picking flowers.”

“No . . . I can’t tell by the looks of the hood, but _he_ is capable of anything. And the Miss has the grace of a flower but she certainly is not one that gathers flowers for the sake of boredom. Her fierce and strong personality is–”

“Focus, brother,” Ludwig grumbled as he pulled Gilbert to the side, hiding behind a tree. The tall blonde of them needed to use more power than anticipated – realising that Gilbert did not want to leave the main pathway due to the barmaid and her _companion_.

“We need to observe them –”

“You mean _him_!” Gilbert hissed, pointing towards the hooded person. “I do have my weapon with me, but your body height is enough to frighten them.”

“ _Bruder_ , I am not a giant and they are not dwarves, I won’t scare them.”

“But _he_ looks like one,” Gilbert once again jerked his head in the direction of the mysterious _man_. “By all means, how can such a small man be dangerous? And why is she looking for such _small_ company?”

“Gilbert!” Ludwig’s red face indicated that he had understood his brother’s _uncivil_ allusion.

“I at least have a decent occupation at a mansion, and do not need to hide my face behind a cloak,” Gilbert hissed, “That lad cannot be older than sixteen.”

Ludwig silenced his brother with his hand – clearly irritated that Gilbert had not stopped talking. “First of all, you read tons of books in the master’s bibliotheca instead of sorting them and I don’t think that he is sixteen . . . From the looks, I would suspect him to be some kind of criminal or hunter whose . . . body height must have betrayed him.”

Gilbert opened his mouth to answer – or to laugh – but stopped when he heard the brunette speak to her companion.

 

“It does not look dangerous,” the barmaid concluded, crossing her arms and shifting her weight on one leg: she looked more than confident – a feature Gilbert had first disliked but now adored greatly.

The hooded lad next to her gave no reply, his body language signalled that the man was on his guard and did not underestimate the powers of the woods, even if the surrounding were calm; One could be deceived easily. His head turned towards the new sign on the side of the mudded pathway. Some of the villagers must have written it down days ago.

“Be aware of the forest.” _His_ voice sounded soft but not loud enough for the two hidden siblings to hear clearly – although they knew what the sign said.

The mysterious man’s sudden shifting and the breeze of the wind lifted the cloak and revealed several knives, including a sword attached to his hip – a sword neither Ludwig nor Gilbert had ever seen before. As he suddenly laid his hand on the hilt of the weapon, Gilbert could not restrain himself from intervening: he feared that the barmaid was in danger. Without thinking, he sprinted towards them with the attempt of throwing himself at the hazardous criminal.

“Don’t you dare to –” His mouth stopped moving, just like his feet, as Sakura drew her sword, demonstrating what she would do if Gilbert would lay a finger on her. “I will protect you, Miss Eliza.”

Ludwig, who had approached them with his own weapon, noticed his brother’s hesitation – and it was not because of the sword that was being pointed at him, but the new discovery he had made: the hooded man was a woman; her scarf that hid her face had fallen off the moment Gilbert had shouted his threat.

“Who are you and what do you want in these woods?” the younger brother inquired in a tone that gave no room for gentle small talk. Ludwig was demanding to receive an answer.

“It is none of your concern.”

“Yes it is,” Gilbert suddenly spoke, turning towards Eliza. “And why are you here with _her_?”

Sakura did not know these two but her instincts told her that both were familiar with the woods. The tall blonde man who had asked about her reasons of being in the woods was evidence enough that he had to hide information from her – whether he had some of the beast she was looking for other significant details.

There was not a second wasted, as Sakura’s sword moved forward with the intention of fighting both siblings.

Blade clashed against blade as Gilbert defended himself with his weapon – he may be an obnoxious brother and a bookworm, but handling a sword was definitely one of his hidden talents. Although his small blade was nothing compared to a longsword, Gilbert tried to oppose the small woman who was much more skilled and stronger than he had judged at the beginning.

Ludwig observed the fight for seconds before his eyes suddenly fell on the piece of paper that had just fallen on the mudded ground.

“A bounty hunter . . . ,” he whispered, frowning at Sakura before turning towards Eliza. She, on the other hand, grew cold as shivers went up her spine.

“Lud!” Gilbert raised voice sounded alarmed, catching the blonde’s attention.

 

Sakura had managed to throw Gilbert to the ground; she did not want to kill him, and as he called for his brother for help, Sakura was confronted with the most dangerous bright blue eyes she had ever seen before – the tall man was enraged, even if he did not voice it out loud. The dark-haired hunter stepped forward but was prevented from it as Gilbert grabbed her foot. Before she could strike any of the brothers with her weapon, Ludwig took a hold of the hilt of her sword.

“Run!” Sakura shouted to Eliza, who listened immediately, knowing that the siblings would follow her – and the strange feeling that both were hiding something in the woods told her that she needed to flee as fast as possible. She was unsure if she should call for help: apparently no one wanted to pick a fight with neither Gilbert nor his brother.

Sakura lifted her free foot to hit the silver-haired man, but failed, realising that he was more persistent than she thought, before moving her leg to kick Ludwig in the face.

While Ludwig blocked Sakura’s punches – he was having extreme difficulties handling her – Gilbert was growing frustrated. First he had not made an excellent impression on the Barmaid Eliza (he was happy to know her name now), second he was being defeated by a petite woman of whom he had suspected to be a male and lastly, he utterly disfavoured it when someone was throwing punches at his younger brother. Within an instant, Gilbert twisted Sakura’s foot, causing her to scream due to the pain.

Despite their tries to fight properly against her, Sakura was prepared: she had faced more dangerous men under less pleasant circumstances. She stumbled to the side, pulling knives out of her pocket to throw at them. “No yet,” she declared, her face neutral as if her foot had never been hurt.

Suddenly, something reached for her legs, and the skilled fighter once again thought it to be Gilbert, but was surprised when her sight was met with something else: the branches of a tree. Another strong grip caged her wrists and her confused eyes quickly glanced to her hands, seeing tree roots encircling her limbs; with widened eyes, she wiggled, wanting to free herself but failed miserably. “Magic . . . ,” she realised before the trees’ roots knocked her out.

 

“Thank God,” Gilbert sighed, “At least some of the enchanted items in this forest come in handy at the right time.” He looked at his bleeding arms and the small mark of a rose on his wrist, then back at the huntress.

“We need to take her with us, she is dangerous,” Ludwig resonated before helping his brother. “And we have to find Miss Eliza, for she may look for help . . . She and this bounty hunter know more than they should.”

“I will find her . . . And we have to inform the Princes immediately.”

“Indeed, and destroy that piece of evidence.” Ludwig was now pointing at the wanted poster.

“Oh no . . . It’s too wonderful. I want to keep it,” a smirk adorned the oldest brother’s face as he picked it up and stuffed it in his bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Sakura’s first meeting with magic and it won’t be the last ;). The match Hungary Vs Portugal was spectacular, but I am glad Hungary is group winner :D with Island being 2nd :). Hetalia is always accompanying me whenever I watch such events :’D]


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

  _“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ― W.B. Yeats_

* * *

“Oh my God, oh God,” Eliza gasped between her breaths as she ran through the woods; she had not expected such an outcome. Directing Sakura to the forest was only meant for a small adventure, not to be extended to a battle between the petite hunter and two grown men. The feeling of panic seized her as she turned around every second – even if she could defend herself, she knew she needed to inform her employer or someone else, because Gilbert Beilschmidt and his brother would definitely be challenging opponents. Eliza did not know if any of them were already following her, but she knew that she had seen more than she should have. The two brothers were no bounty hunters themselves; their attire was suggesting something else but they were hiding something. Ludwig’s face had changed for a second after he had seen the picture of the rumoured beast in the forest.

Her mind was filled with ideas of whom to ask for help, until one notion stroke her – Sakura’s letter. The determination in the brunette’s eyes was back, her feet carrying her as fast as possible to the bar, where she could write to ask for enforcement. If the bounty hunter had any friends, they would come and help her, Eliza was certain of it.

 

Her feet took her inside the pub, which was thankfully void of clients. Although the atmosphere was relaxed, the barmaid’s pulse was racing, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Although Sakura’s letter had already been given to a messenger, Eliza had memorised the address on it. Fetching the needed utensils for writing a rather alarming message, she managed to finish her task before a knock sounded on the door. “Miss Eliza?”

The familiar voice of Gilbert Beilschmidt had reached the pub. “Miss Eliza is not here,” she answered in a dark voice, sounding as manly as possible as she hid behind the bar counter.

“Is she not?”

“No!”

Despite the refusal in her tone, the door slowly opened and Eliza grabbed the nearest object that could help her to defend herself – she was a barmaid for Heaven’s sake, inappropriate behaviour of drunken men was a daily occurrence she was familiar with, so striking Gilbert Beilschmidt with a bottle would not be that difficult, would it?

* * *

 

Sakura woke up to the sound of whistling birds and the movements underneath her; at first she thought the attack had been a dream but as she slowly opened her eyes, she found herself on the shoulder of a tall man. Her foot was still sprained – or broken – and Sakura suspected that the man that was carrying her had taken all of her weapons.

Luckily for her, Ludwig was not a man that could touch a woman without thinking of the consequences; he had not looked for swords underneath her clothes, hoping that she would not wake up from her _slumber_. Shyness and embarrassment had kept him from examining her – a trait that he rather not wanted to possess, when his safety was in danger.

“What a day,” he mumbled to himself, watching the path towards the mansion before looking at his wrist. It was the same tattoo that graced his brother’s arm: a simple rose. Even if she would succeed in hurting him, the woods would protect him and the woman would be deprived of the possibility of escaping. Those thoughts seemed to put him a little at ease before he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and fell forward as pain ran through his head, releasing Sakura, who landed on her good foot.

“My weapons. . . ,” she whispered to herself as she rummaged through the unconscious man’s bag. The chirping suddenly ceased and Sakura stilled in her moves, suspecting every tree that surrounded her – everything was her enemy in these woods. Strands of her hair flipped in her face, the breeze becoming stronger. It were those small details that forced her to run, although her wounded foot was slowing her down.

 

Her brown eyes glanced forth and back, observing the ground, flowers and animals around her. Nothing seemed to pose any danger to her and Sakura slowed her legs’ moves as a glowing firefly approached her.

The huntress avoided to step on her sprained ankle as she walked, holding her hand towards the small violet glowing animal. For her, it was a captivating sight as it softly landed on her finger.

The scenery was completely different from before, as she calmly smiled after having witnessed such a small and extraordinary creature. She wondered why the woods were not attacking her; after all she had trespassed another territory. The glowing animal settled itself in her palm, and the black-haired lifted her head, coming face to face with a grand building that was surrounded by thousands of roses. ‘The cursed mansion,’ she thought, her blinking eyes taking in every detail the terrain held: tall pillars supporting massive stony walls, birds playing in the trees near the high hedges and wild rosebushes. She was uncertain if this construction was a castle or a big manor, for it had too many towers to be considered a simple building. All in all it was a breath-taking sight and Sakura was at loss for words; never before had she seen something of such beauty before. Her heart skipped a beat as the roses near her followed her moves, she feared that they would attack her and shielded away, to distance herself from them.

 

“Open the gates!”

Upon hearing the familiar commanding voice, the hooded woman hid herself quickly, out of the sight of Ludwig, who ran towards the manor, his hand rubbing the bruise on his neck.

“Ludwig, what happened?”

Sakura slowly hobbled to the entrance, observing the tall blonde before she was surprised by the amount of people that were working there. All of them were neither cursed nor blessed with magic and the rumoured beast had not once crossed her path.

It was still a mystery to Sakura, why all the inhabitants of the village were unaware of this occurrence; as if another world had placed itself in the deepest of the woods, far away from normality. The mere suspicion that the monster on the poster was living among those people in an enchanted mansion, lingered on her mind as her hand slowly moved to her bag.

Sakura’s eyes narrowed as she noticed the absence of the wanted poster; realising that one of the brothers must have taken it away from her. Either way she was torn between two choices: if she would slip through the gates now or in a few days. Her foot was burdening her and would cause her great problems if a fight would take place; it seemed that the beast was in possession of magic and therefore she needed all of her energy. In addition to that, she needed to ascertain Eliza’s safety: Only one brother had carried Sakura, while the other was chasing the barmaid. There were other disadvantages as well: the brothers would probably reinforce their guards at the mansion for the sake of protection. She caressed the small violet glowing creature in her hand while forming a plan in her mind as she heard Ludwig’s voice, informing his friends of an attack.

Sakura was too lost in her thoughts, to notice the pair of intense green eyes that was watching her, from the highest of the towers of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I don’t know why but I feel like writing and updating every day even if I have two other stories I need to work on :’D.]


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

_“I have no knowledge of myself as I am, but merely as I appear to myself.” ― Immanuel Kant_

* * *

 

“I know you are there.”

Eliza pressed the bottle of rum and the letter tighter to her chest; she had never imagined herself to be stuck in such a situation – and with Gilbert Beilschmidt of all people.

“Please, come out, I won’t hurt you.”

“What,” she whispered, becoming furious as she was analysing the situation: he was following her with the intention of hurting or killing her, breaking into the pub and _now_ he had declared that he would not wound her? The brunette slowly rose, revealing herself from the shadows in the room.

Gilbert finally sighed, “There you a–”

Eliza’s eyes were glowing at him, her chin high, as a wicked expression graced her face. She marched towards him, determined to strike him with everything she had. “You have got some nerves, Beilschmidt.”

The threat sent shivers down his spine, as she stood in front of him, holding the bottle of alcohol as if it was a sword.

“I–”

“Entering the pub after following me!” She declared before hitting his head with the expensive rum, giving her a chance for her to flee. Within a few seconds, Eliza succeeded in escaping from him. Although the silver-haired man had difficulties in standing up, he was still questioning, how this could have escalated. An hour ago he was sent on a mission to buy new books for his master’s library. Had the situation be another, he would have done anything to save her from heartbreak or any other danger. And now he was considered to be _her_ danger, fighting against the woman he loved – needless to say that he hated himself at the moment. ‘She will never forgive me,’ he thought desperately.

“W-Wait,” he called, following her outside. There had to be another solution, where she could be free without being forced to stay at the cursed manner for the sake of protecting his master’s secret.

 

* * *

 

Arthur was extremely displeased to see a hooded man venturing outside his mansion. Not only was the stranger looking at his roses and mansion, but the mere presence of an unknown person, was unsettling the man. He was trying to hide himself poorly, Arthur noted. Although the blonde Prince felt annoyed, a small prickle of excitement ran through his body – probably due to the fact that such an event had never taken place before.

“A criminal or a curious lad?” he asked to no one in particular as he steadied his body on the window frame, his arms crossed as he meticulously analysed the intruder’s form. For hours he had remained on the cushion settee in his private room, musing about his life – something he did on daily basis and could be considered his hobby – and now such a new and unwelcome development was presenting itself in front of his window.

“A rather petite lad, he seems to be.” Now his curiosity was picked, questioning why the boy was exploring his terrain instead of fleeing. A small gust of wind created movements among the rosebushes, causing the mysterious boy to grab his hood carefully, not risking to be found out.

This action caused Arthur to roar in anger. “As if he had any reason to hide his face!”

The jealousy was detectable in his voice; The blonde Prince considered himself to be the allegory of cursed magic. For a decade he was seeking shelter behind these walls and his cloak. His eyes glanced at his covered arms – the left was a limb full of scales, while his other was void of any signs of anomaly. The window was mirroring his hidden face underneath the hood, but the Prince felt once again ashamed of his appearance. “Indeed . . . he has no reason,” he repeated, voice dripping with sarcasm – a trait he had never lost, even if he had sacrificed most of his former life: the attendance of social gatherings, his family, his home and his chance of ruling a kingdom. He had fled after the curse had taken its effect, leaving everything behind with the exception of some servants who worked in the new household and supported their Prince dearly.

Arthur’s emotions had created the mansion with roses – a flower he admired – calling it his own realm. It was a magnificent piece of art and he often regretted that it could never be cherished by others, because he would never allow anyone to step inside. The thought that no one should suffer from seeing him, had forced the blonde to isolate himself. Even if his brother Alfred visited him, Arthur had never been the same again.

His former home the _Kingdom of Whitefort_ was still being reigned by Arthur’s father, and after the cursed Prince had taken his leave, Alfred was declared to be the official heir of the throne – although he had often expressed his dismay for fulfilling the task.

Yes, Arthur felt guilty for his part, but he doubted that people would accept him anymore – too much time had passed, his face unrecognisable and his temper certainly did nothing to increase the popularity among his people, _if_ he would face them. With fury, the man exited his room, being reminded of the incidence that had cost him nearly everything.

 

Descending the stairs to the main hall of the building, Arthur demanded to receive information from his employees, “Why is there a criminal observing my roses and home!?”

Upon hearing the loud – but familiar – expression of utter discontentment, the working servants in the hall stopped their activities, turning to their hooded master. “A Criminal?”

 

The doors suddenly opened, presenting a stressed Ludwig who dashed to his Prince. “It’s a bounty hunter!”

The blinking of Arthur’s eyes remained unseen by the party, but his tone was more than clear. “Explain.”

“Gilbert and I were walking to town when we detected the hunter and Miss Eliza, the barmaid in the woods . . . We were attacked and without the help of the enchanted woods, we would have been defeated,” the tall blonde carefully said, “Gilbert has the wanted poster that was found among them.”

“And where is Gilbert?”

“Following Miss Eliza . . .”

Out of the blue, loud laughter echoed through the main hall as Francis decided to proclaim his opinion on the topic. “Oh the irony.”

The delightful emotion was not one that matched the current atmosphere and Arthur was growing irritated – he had never liked the man before, although he was a great help in the kitchen and one could not criticise his cooking-skills.

“The irony? What are you talking about, frog!?”

The laughter ceased, Francis did not like to mention the topic of love in front of his grumpy master, but did so nonetheless. “He admires her and could not hurt her in any kind. And I don’t believe she would come here on her free will.”

“And why was a mere barmaid accompanying this lad?” The female sex was still a mystery to the Arthur, not that he had ever experienced a small romance himself, but the logic they sometimes expressed was making no sense to him at all.

“Maybe she was looking for an adventure,” Francis concluded, “Although that would definitely not please Gilbert.”

“If this adventure results that a filthy criminal is invading my yard for the purpose of receiving money for my head, than Gilbert is not the only one that is displeased with _that_ _adventure_.”

Ludwig stepped forward, “Your Highness, would it not benefit us if we ask Prince Alfred for support . . . If the town comes to the realisation that a lost heir of a foreign kingdom is hiding here . . .”

“Fine, tell him . . . I will handle the fleeing criminal,” Arthur murmured, feeling the intruder distancing himself from the area. “You will not escape.”

A glowing green light surrounded him as he murmured incoherent sentences, forming his intention of catching the bounty hunter into words no one around him understood. The manner he held himself was elegant and powerful, leaving no doubt that he would punish the one that had hurt his men and trespassed his terrain.

This kind of response was not one most of the servants had expected and the news had alarmed them for any arriving party that was able to kill them. The prince who was using magic was still frightening them, because it meant that the danger was real – with the exception of one certain smirking blonde man that was enjoying the new development with great pleasure. After his cousin had approached the scenery, Francis nudged him playfully, “Go fetch the Champagne and the chairs, Julien.”

“For the Master?” he questioned, stroking a strand of his blonde hair out of his face. His green eyes searching for Francis’ blue ones; he was quite unsure why the master would want a chair and Champagne, seeing that said man was performing magic.

“No, for us, this is going to be interesting. Finally, something is happening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Imagining France on a chair with Champagne while watching a fight, or football or anything else ~ I just want to add Luxembourg (aka my baby~) in this :D and for his name, well there is no official one, so I just took one I like :3 Very typical for Luxembourgish names: to have a French forename and a German family name :). UEFA Euro update: Germany(3:0 Slovakia) and Belgium(4:0 Hungary) slayed today ~ :D ]  
>  


	5. Chapter 5

 

* * *

 

_“I felt that I breathed an atmosphere of sorrow.”_ _―_ _Edgar Allan Poe_

* * *

 

Estimating this situation as harmless was not the thought that crossed Sakura’s mind as her eyes focussed on the closed gates. No one could follow or attack her; but the risk of being confronted with magic was high and Sakura was uncertain if she would successfully escape the woods. However the black-haired could not remain near the mansion; she reasoned that her foot and Eliza needed her attention. The hunting of the beast could wait.

The small creature in her hands suddenly started to glow. Although it was most uncommonly for her to be surprised, the small animal was fascinating her. Sakura had witnessed several occurrences that frightened her less than it did years ago. She had grown accustomed to danger and violence due to her occupation as a huntress. Coldness on the other hand, was not a feature she wanted to possess, because it veiled one’s heart from seeing the beautiful things life and nature had to offer. Still, the actions she had taken and survived moulded her very character – sadly it seemed to strangers that her heard harboured no joy or happiness.

The soothing vibrant the firefly was radiating warmed her – it was a new-made memory she would not forget. Her positive energy was suddenly drained, as a threating voice interrupted her thoughts.

_“You will not escape.”_

The dark tone startled Sakura; she turned around, her eyes searching for any evidence of a person. A shudder went up her spine as she realise that no one was behind her. _It_ was a message, sent telepathically by the owner of the intimidating voice – something she had never been confronted with before. “Magic,” she ascertained, drawing her katana. “Show yourself.”

Her other hand still held onto the glowing creature, as she was positioning herself again.

_“It was a grave mistake to arrive at the mansion . . . Your greedy need for money will be your end.”_

Sudden vibrations threw her to the ground; she let out a small whimper as thorns of the rosebushes cut her deeply. It left a trace of blood on her skin and Sakura was certain that it was either poisoned or weakening her. The roses surrounded her in a menancing manner and she was left with no other choice but to stand up. Even if she was struggling – and ignoring her ankle – on her legs, the huntress kept her balance; focussing on the dangerous growing hedges as she wielded her sword with ease. The first strokes cut through the roots of the plants and Sakura managed to avoid other attacks before the bushes encased her, leaving the female in complete darkness. Her body started tremble, not because of her nervous demeanour that she was trying to hide, but the deep cuts on her body were slowing her movements – She could not rest composed if the fight would continue like this.

The moment new voices echoed through the area, she moved her sword, making a horizontal cut. The wall of roses shattered immediately, leaving her stunned to find out that she was inside the mansion.  Why the magical landlord would _invite_ her into his home was a question she did not dare to ask. Her dark eyes wandered across the great hall, only to sight a hooded man whose form was embraced by a beautiful green glow. The woman was certain that he was the beast – the source of magic that had injured her.

As she met his gaze, he began to laugh wickedly.

“There he is,” the beast roared, moving his hands to the side.

Sakura did not care if the creature was unaware of her gender – all that mattered was to fight and to survive, even though it seemed to be an impossible task to achieve. Some of the servants stayed in the room; including the tall blonde whom she had beaten an hour ago. He was eying her with a scowl, indicating that he was not pleased with her being transported into the mansion. 

“So the legend is true,” the black-haired woman suddenly affirmed, after the beast’s laughing had died down. Her wounded ankle slid in front of her strong leg to balance most of her weight on her good foot – she was ready to fight, the chance of winning was small but she had no choice but to battle against powers she had never witnessed before. If she would die through his hand, then she would not give up without fighting first.

“So I have become a legend!” A violent snarl escaped the wizard’s lips, “And what am I to you? A beast? A monster? Your death?”

The usage of such a compassionless tone prevented Sakura from attacking immediately; her hands’ grip on the katana was steady but her arms adorned with goose bumps. No one needed to demonstrate that this creature was full of hate, prepared to kill anyone that would challenge it.

“I see you as an opponent.”

The answer must have surprised him; he needed a moment to speak again. “You think yourself worthy of opposing me.”

Sakura bit her lip, glad that her visage was shielded by a scarf and hood. “If you did not think me worthy, why have you transported me into your hall?”

Arthur stilled in his movements, “I don’t need to justify myself . . . You endangered two of my people. And your actions would raise questions among people I do not wish to know about me or this manor.”

Sakura mumbled, “So you are going to kill me . . .”

“How many of you are trying to hunt me down? And you are asking why I will do the same to you?”

“My occupation as a hunter is just as dangerous; I am hunted as well. In our world in means to survive.”

Arthur stepped towards her, “You will answer my question! How many?” He was certain that the intruder wished to live, as most people preferred to. The volume of his speaking increased. “How many!?”

“I have nothing left to give you, neither wisdom nor knowledge.”

“So a bounty hunter who claims to have nothing . . . Those are the most dangerous persons . . . those who have nothing else to risk,” he commented, somehow a little intrigued by the hunter’s reply.

After having sacrificed everything himself, Arthur had been left with nothing, except the mansion that now needed to be protected from the sword-wielding intruder that stood in front of him. If the hooded person did not want to answer his questions, then he would force him.

Arthur’s gloved hand shot upwards, darting Sakura to the wall at the end of the hall. As she propelled through the air, the petite woman turned, landing with her feet on the stony mural to push herself off – ignoring her body’s injuries; her limbs were burning.

Her attempt of slicing or kicking him seemed impossible: the man had a magical shield; even her knives were useless.

“Worthy opponent,” the beast mocked, chuckling as his glowing power embraced Sakura’s arms; she now knew that he was only playing with her.

“Your Highness,” Ludwig suddenly intervened, marching towards his master. “We must wait for Gilbert to return with the barmaid. We can detain both before rushing into a situation we may regret.”

The consequence of his own current action was something Arthur would certainly regret, and he heaved a sigh, knowing that Ludwig prevented him from doing an irreparable move.

“Fine,” he mumbled, snipping with his finger. The green air around the hunter ceased within a second. Murdering someone would be the ultimate step that would lead the Prince into a depth of despair. He was hopeless and miserable; meeting a bounty hunter had somehow ignited emotions of excitement inside of him.

“Bring him to the cell at the end of the tower.” With that, the Prince rushed upstairs, not noticing Ludwig’s expression after hearing Arthur’s addressing of the hunter.

 

On the other hand, Sakura’s thoughts were racing: the magic and this situation caused her to feel uneasy . . . and the mere fact that a magical beast had refused to kill her on the spot, was stunning her. He seemed like a creature that was only cruel when the situation required him to react without considering feelings. Questions of why he could not break the curse with his own magic lingered longer on her mind then she wished to. In addition to that, Ludwig had addressed him as _his highness_ , a title she had not expected to hear, given the circumstances.

“Come!” Ludwig hoisted her up, seeing that she was too weak to stand on her own. Cuts and the impact of his master’s magic must have taken a great toll on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I already had this chapter written last week but I reread it again and decided to rewrite it :) I wanted to thank you for the favs and follows of the story :). Oh Lord Germany is playing tomorrow … against Italy … it is going to be a tough match :O]


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Note: Oh Good Lord, I received my first hate mail(s) for writing fanfictions with heterosexual pairings in the Hetalia fandom ~ Bless humanity . . . At first I wrote an entire answer for this person some days ago, but now I think that they are not worth my time. This guest called me homophobic even though my best friends are pan and homosexual :’D. And this person insulted me, thinking I was German xD I speak four languages including German, but that does not mean I am German. This person described the entire country as retarded . . . What the deuce? I don’t need heterophobia and racist comments in my review box. Plus I got the same messages on my tumblr account and FFnet, so this person stalked and wrote me for discouraging me personally . . . Sorry to disappoint you Darling, but your hate is motivating me to keep on writing ;D. You hate my story and me for writing what I want? I don’t care . . . Why should I bother with someone like that?  
> Well, here is another chapter ;)
> 
> P.S. This person hates Germans so much, I need to quote a German writer now ~ Oh look there is Schiller in my story ~ ]

* * *

 

_“I am better than my reputation.” ― Friedrich Schiller_

* * *

 

“Please deliver it fast.”

The mailman gaped at Eliza before demanding money for sending the piece of paper.

“Thank you, but hurry please. It is an emergency. ”

The man need not to be told twice as he quickly rushed towards his horse to leave the marketplace. Eliza had quiet frightened him, knowing her reputation among the villagers – this barmaid was to be taken seriously.

 

“Miss Eliza?”

The all too familiar voice caused her to freeze – shivers went up her spine as she whirled around. She staring into his eyes; although she knew help would be on their way, the brunette was uncertain of what the white-haired man in front of her would do.

“I –”

“No!” she exclaimed, her fear turning into stubbornness and anger. “I will cause a scene with all these people being around if you dare to touch me.”

The barmaid expected a furious answer but was rather confused when the man in front of her remained calm. His eyes held such a longing expression she could not completely comprehend.

“I am sorry, Miss Eliza, but you need to come with me.”

The addressed women bit her teeth, “I won’t.”

Despite his rather silent demeanour, Eliza could not trust him. How had this all ended in being followed by Gilbert Beilschmidt? Everything was still very strange – especially his behaviour. She was familiar with his witty comments and bragging, but not with his kind manner towards her. And he was in the middle of abducting her. As if fate was trying to punish her for having fought with him years ago. If she had not helped Sakura in accompanying her, then this oddity may had not occurred. Now she would be killed, or so she thought.

“We have captured your friend.”

This was a statement that unsettled the woman – did she consider Sakura her friend? Both had only known each other for a few hours . . . On the other hand, the bounty hunter had given her the chance in escaping the scenery; Sakura wanted to save her from being attacked.

“I am so sorry for how this has happened . . . I certainly did not want to scare you . . .”

“But why do you force me to come with you?”

Gilbert’s eyes wandered across the market, taking in the lively scene.

“I cannot explain it here,” he confessed, pulling her to an alley nearby – away from prying eyes.

“Well excuse me!” Eliza struggled against his hold, shaking her arm vehemently. Since their first meeting, she had always quarrelled with him – Whether it was the ordering of beer or the mere mention that her dress was too revealing for his taste.

“Let go of me!” The young woman screamed, only for her words to be muffled by the silver-haired man’s hand. Eliza questioned how he had managed to regain his energy after being hit by the bottle.  

Gilbert’s other hand grasped her shoulder. “Be quiet.”

The widened look she was throwing at him was warming his heart and he softened the pressure on her mouth. He was aware of her fear – even when she was masking it with a violent and stubborn manner. “You have seen things you should not have.”

He sighed, before dropping his hand from her mouth. “If the rumour of the beast keeps spreading, we may have a problem.”

Eliza huffed, ignoring his pleading eyes, “So you are holding me as a ransom or hostage? It is not my problem . . . Wait, do you suggest that it is true?”

His eyebrows shot in the air; Gilbert had not noticed his manner of forming the sentence without raising suspicion.

“A-And you are protecting the beast from us? Otherwise you wouldn’t have attacked the hunter.”

“I am sorry,” he whispered.

“For w –”

Ignoring his pumping heart, Gilbert pressed the small cloth on her face – it was soaked with a kind of liquid that put her to sleep. “Had we met under other circumstances, I would have brought you flowers and not misery.”

This was the worst moment for him – Eliza knew too much. As he threw her over his shoulder, Gilbert tried to find a way to walk towards the forest without being noticed by the surrounding people. Luckily for him, the dark clouds in the sky shielded the sunrays from reaching the ground. Rain would very soon fall down – signalling his current mood.

 

 

For minutes, Gilbert was marching through the depressing weather; the woods were becoming darker. He passed the area where the fight had taken place, reminding himself the hard punches of the huntress that had almost knocked him out. For a woman so small, she knew how to battle – she could handle Ludwig and he was more than capable of defending himself. Had the magical tree not intervened, Gilbert did not know what would have happened to him.

He eyed his marked hand – the rose everybody from the mansion wore. _If danger confronts you, call for help_ , that is how his master had formed the words. It was a symbol of safety and would rescue them whenever such a situation as hours ago would occur.

Gilbert abruptly stopped as he heard Eliza whimper on his shoulders. She was shaking and the man slowly laid her down, removing his coat. Although she had her own cloak, the rain was drenching her form. “Here,” he whispered, wrapping the thick clothing around her freezing body. He carried her again as he proceeded in his task of returning to the mansion – only to hold her in his arms instead of transporting her over his shoulder.

The entire situation was completely absurd and tiresome for him. How he was ever going to explain her everything?

Not only was his mind filled with worries of Eliza, but the question how they would cover the story of the missing barmaid of the village? Would the rumours not be increased by her disappearance?

After she had indicated that she knew about the beast, panic had taken over him. He would need to take her back to the mansion where he would negotiate with his master – if she would receive money in exchange for secrecy, she would accept it . . . But then he could never visit her bar again because she would think of him as someone that would take care that she won’t spill.

* * *

 Arthur was pacing back and forth through his room, stressfully thinking of the past event that clearly had not left his mind.

“A bloody hunter,” he murmured pulling his hood off his head as he observed his mirroring face. The aforementioned criminal had seen a wanted poster of him – a drawing that someone must had been created due to a witness or someone with a great alcohol problem. If the picture would resemble him, the prince would have to take other measures to protect himself and his servants from being attacked by intruders. He would wait until Gilbert would return with the wanted poster – and the barmaid.

His eyes stared cruelly at the looking glass; his left cheek and forehead were covered with shiny green scales. The other half of his face was adorned with small scars – the most noticeable one was stretching from his lips to his right cheekbone. The man frowned deeply. “Such an abhorrent sight.”

He quickly put the fabric back all over his hair, hiding his visage and two dark horns on his head from the world. His servants had all seen him in his state without the cloak and the man questioned how they could endure it. Now he was a hunted man – by criminals and his usual negative self-doubts.

“Ludwig!” The order left his lips immediately after leaving his chamber, causing the blonde man to appear as fast as he was being called.

“Summon that bloody hunter. I will have a _talk_ with him in ten minutes.”

“Understood, Your Highness . . . B-but there . . .” Ludwig could not end his sentence, seeing that the Prince was already leaving him on his own. He still had not explained Arthur that the stranger in the cell was a woman – the younger Beilschmidt was certain that his master would not punish a female; even if she attacked him. It was the notion of being a gentleman that prevented him from doing so. Ludwig knew that Arthur would act differently – intuition told him.

“Good Lord,” he murmured before stepping towards the staircase, the latter decided to go outside for the sake of the fresh air that would calm him. Arthur needed it; he would not face the hunter without having sorted his thoughts. A small stroll through his gardens always relaxed him during his worst phases; he loved the sight of the roses, the mansion and the small magical inhabitants of woods. It was his realm, his home now because he could never return to his original home country and reign over it – it had taken him a lifetime to be prepared for his future role and sadly within one night, he had ruined it. Until this day he could not believe it and the anger was always coming back on the surface: he could have avoided it.

The blonde Prince remained several minutes outside, before his attention was diverted to the high tower in which his current _guest_ was imprisoned.

“What?” he suddenly whispered. His eyes wandered from the high rosebushes to the small figure that was climbing down the tower. The question why Ludwig had not contacted him with his rose marking on his wrist, was something Arthur would certainly ask the tall man. Ludwig had been quested to bring the prisoner to the hall without causing a chaos – and now the intruder was escaping through descending the rambler rose. “What happened? . . . .That obnoxious lad.”

With his calamity all forgotten, Arthur rushed towards the tower. He would stop the criminal with magic or _convince_ him to climb back to his cell. Either way, the Prince would not take any risks.

As he neared the scenery, he witnessed the struggle, the hunter was depicting – the small _lad_ seemed to balance most of _his_ weight on one foot. The rain had stilled moments ago, but the walls and stones were still slippery, making the task of descending more difficult.

“Hunter!”

 

The sharp tone of his voice startled the climbing hunter brutally. Having been concentrated in her attempt of climbing, the criminal suddenly slipped, falling helplessly to the ground.

It was intuition that suddenly forced Arthur to run to the falling person. He was not certain how this feeling could control him, but something was internally telling him to catch the falling _lad._

 

Only as his hands took a hold on Sakura, did he realise that she was not wearing a cloak. It was a petite woman that now lay in his arms, defenceless and injured. Despite his former anger towards the invader, his emotions changed completely. He could not help but stare at the black-haired hunter – it was only not her appearance that struck him, but her determined character, her strength and her will to live.

Arthur remained in this state for minutes, instinctively strengthening his hold on the exhausted female whose eyes stared confusingly at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: If anyone of my readers has ever faced hate, let me tell you something: “Mitleid bekommt man geschenkt, Neid muss man sich verdienen” Sympathy is free. Envy has to be earned. And that is true, because you do not receive such messages without having achieved something ;) If someone tries to insult you for what you do, try not to dwell on it. You are writing for yourself – it is your way of expressing your feelings and ideas. And if anyone tries to say that your story is bullshit, then they expect you to delete it and that you will have a breakdown but let me tell you this: It is your decision to keep on going, to do what you love, to express yourself. THEY have NO right to pull you down, they are a bunch of ignorant jerks that have never achieved anything positive in their life and that is they reason they are spreading hate.  
> I will finish my story, I will continue writing it, I don’t care if they hate it, I have my goals, my passion, my motivation and it is not defined by their hate. It is defined by me and my choices and not by people I don’t know and I don’t need in my life. And no matter what you do, there will always be people hating on you, because you cannot change for everyone . . . there will always be someone who is displeased with you and the most important thing is that YOU have to be happy with yourself, not others! YOU matter! Those who don’t accept you are not worth your time! ]


	7. Chapter 7

 

* * *

 

_“But life is a battle: may we all be enabled to fight it well!”_ _―_ _Charlotte Brontë_

* * *

 

 

The moment he laid his eyes on her, Arthur was speechless – what could he possibly say to a woman who had tried to hurt (or kill) him. For a decade he had not spoken properly to someone of the fairer sex – with the exception of the female servants, but they never interacted with the master of the house. All the women he had ever had a decent conversation with were members of royal households, gentry or royalty. When the hunter had remained a stranger to him, he would not have such problematic thoughts. Arthur silently asked himself why this had occurred as an unsettling feeling took over his body. Awkwardness dominated the atmosphere . . . He certainly needed to choose his words wisely around the wounded huntress.

Her blinking eyes and confused expression worsened the situation for him – how should he begin any kind of conversation with to her? Before Arthur could consider his attempt in talking or inquiring after her wellbeing, the woman in his arms struggled against his hold, freeing herself a second later.

 

Despite her injury, Sakura decided to distance herself from him; she would run as fast as she could. Sadly, the hunter had not thought of her magical surroundings as she turned around – a wall of roses that suddenly appeared prevented her from proceeding in her escape. Once again her way was blocked by the magical plant.

It was evident that Sakura was confused by the outcome of that absurd occurrence – she had been saved by the man who wanted to kill her hours ago. Should she thank him? Was it mere coincidence that he was outside his sanctuary or had he sensed that she had fled from the cell?

“I won’t allow you to escape,” Arthur spoke again, the words echoing through the gardens. It was a repetition from before.

“I see,” she replied tiredly; the energy that had always pushed her forward was lost – the exhaustion took over her body, knowing that she stood no chance against a magician. Her hand touched the hilt of the knife she had taken back after Ludwig had entered her cell. It had been a matter of chance that she had successfully defeated him in seconds before escaping through the window.

“But I won’t fight against you.” These words suddenly caught her attention and she lifted her head towards the beast. Surprisingly, the dangerous tone in his voice had changed; it sounded softer.

“Why?”

His gloved hand reached out as he watched it absentmindedly. The man was caught in a memory, “You are lost, just like me . . . I know how it feels to fight and to survive every day.”

Sakura remained silent, observing him as she tried to analyse his words – or rather his demeanour. The question what his plans for her were when she would decide to stay, was plaguing her greatly.

“But what about Eliza?” Sakura asked softly, worry dominating her tone, as she studied her opponent’s appearance.

“She will be taken care of,” Arthur mentioned, seeing how Sakura’s features hid her fears – she had misunderstood the context of his sentence.

“I mean, she will not be hurt in any kind . . . When Gilbert will return . . . The two of you will stay here and we will negotiate a deal.”

“A deal? Why do you think we will accept?”

“Because you have no other choice . . .”

“What if we do?”

As if Sakura had provoked a question Arthur did not like, rain started to pour down – in a most unforgiven manner. The once clear sky turned into a cloudy mess; the water came down in streams, forcing the two to enter the magical mansion.

The black-haired hunter needed longer than anticipated. After all, she had to drag herself with one healthy foot to the hall – Arthur had offered her help, which she had declined immediately; his behaviour was too suspicious for her and she felt uncertain in accepting his sudden change in character. The choice to stay could no longer be discussed on Sakura’s behalf, seeing that she could neither escape Arthur’s magical powers nor the weather.

“A storm . . .,” she whispered to herself at the entry of the great hall; the door was still open, demonstrating the wrath of nature upon mankind’s creations. Sakura was too fascinated by the sight in front of her to notice the staring of beast. He stood a small distance away from her but near enough to be able to observe her features.

Only the sudden appearance of a stressful Ludwig interrupted their state of thinking.

Ludwig’s pace decreased as his bright blue eyes fell on his master and the bounty hunter next to him. He wanted to explain the criminal’s successful attempt of escaping but realised that he did not need to do so. Although his lips parted to form some words, Ludwig was uncertain of what to say and decided to stay quiet. The entire incident appeared absolutely absurd.

“Your royal Highness . . .?” He asked or rather stated, hoping to receive an answer from his master.

“Everything is under control,” Arthur replied with a strong voice. “Miss –” He stopped abruptly, not knowing the female’s name that stood beside him. Her eyes held the look of wariness as she waited several seconds to end the Prince’s sentence.

“Kura,” she slowly spoke, not giving them her full name.

“Miss Kura and Miss Eliza will stay here to negotiate a deal.”

Ludwig understood the meaning behind the order: preparing a room for both the women. It was not the first time that a deal had to be discussed.

Although he shot the huntress a warning glare before fulfilling the task he had been given. His master was strong enough to fight against her; his magic was his greatest weapon . . . A bless and a curse.

“I never said I will remain behind these walls,” Sakura suddenly mentioned, her form facing the magical Prince.

“The weather can be powerful.” A flash lightened the sky, followed by a loud thunder that echoed through the area. “Gilbert will arrive with your friend and I do not believe that you would try to escape the mansion without her,” Arthur stated, knowing that his arguments were reasonable. “You have gained too much knowledge.”

The female pursed her lips, not liking where this discussion was going. “You will silence me?”

Arthur shook his head. “. . . Even if you keep silent about this, others will ask you, using force or money . . . I cannot take that risk.”

“Risking your life?” She questioned more than he preferred to; his eyes focussed on the opened door, waiting for Gilbert to finally return.

“You think me ignorant and selfish . . . you have no idea whose life is in danger if any information leaks.”

Sakura was unsure if she wanted to deepen the conversation. His voice was fiercer indicating that the situation was more complicated than she had thought. Before the woman could consider her words, a quick movement caught her attention.

It was Gilbert, who had finally arrived at the gates, holding an unconscious Eliza his arms.

His clothes were completely drenched, but the barmaid was protected from the rain: A thick cloth warmed her.

“I-I … finally,” Gilbert murmured, exhausted from running through the woods. He was distracted from his own panting and his master’s strong presence that he failed to notice the huntress who was observing him with an accusing look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Sorry for the irregular updates, but I have two other stories to update (yes I love complicating my life :’D) and I want to apply at an Art University and need to complete a portfolio :).]


	8. Chapter 8

 

* * *

 

_“Thinking is one of the greatest pleasures of the human race.”_ _― Bertolt Brecht_

* * *

Ludwig was staring at his brother; the silver-haired had been sneezing for the last half hour and the youngest Beilschmidt suspected that he had caught a cold. It was no wonder, considering how long Gilbert had stayed outside in the rain – in addition to that he had given his coat to the barmaid and risked being drenched by the unforgiven cold raindrops. The situation which had first sounded easy – bringing the barmaid and huntress to the castle – had now turned into something that would cause more complications than Ludwig had first assumed. He was still perplexed over the fact that his master had given their _guests_ a room; first Arthur had ordered to put the huntress into a cell, only to change his mind and offering her and the barmaid a fancy room.

A loud sneeze echoed through the room, causing Ludwig to raise his eyebrow while observing his brother.

“Oh God, my nose,” Gilbert muttered.

“You should rest,” the blonde replied sternly – even if he often described his older brother as childish and irresponsible, Ludwig cared for his sibling’s wellbeing.

“I know, but I still need to give Arthur the wanted poster.”

As if the man himself had heard Gilbert’s words, Arthur knocked on the door and entered the siblings’ private chamber without wasting a second. His hood was hiding his face as he was accompanied by Francis who held a tray with food in his hands. Although he was the cook, the man wanted to bring the food to his sneezing friend instead of ordering a servant.

Without asking about the _guests_ ’ welfare, the master of the house inquired after Gilbert’s journey into the village. Somehow every present in the room avoided the topic of the two females that currently resided in the mansion. Whether it was the odd circumstances under which both had arrived at the building or how they were resting comfortably in a private room in the other part of the small castle. Never before had strangers been invited and received a personal chamber.

“What kind of a deal do you think they will accept?” Ludwig suddenly asked, noting that the atmosphere in the room becoming tenser.

“Money . . . ,” Gilbert spoke, “Eliza will probably accept money due to her small income, but I don’t know about the huntress.”

“Huntress?”

Everyone looked at Francis who exclaimed this information rather loudly – and with a shocking note in his voice. “The bounty hunter is a female?”

A warm smile spread across his face as Francis deposited the food on the table near the door. Instead of leaving, he remained in the room, too curious to exit the room without hearing what their intentions towards their _guests_ were.

“Yes, she is,” Ludwig confirmed.

“Quite a strong one,” the Francis noticed, observing the young blonde’s bruises. “This really is going to be interesting.”

“Then we need to convince her,” Arthur chided, ignoring Francis’ comment. “Do you have the illustration?”

Gilbert nodded, giving his master the poster. In spite of the serious situation, the white-haired man could not prevent his face from showing a funny expression.

The moment the blonde Prince regarded the piece of paper in front of him, his demeanour changed – he was utterly insulted by the picture he was holding. None of the strokes mirrored his face. The cursed Prince considered his looks difficult to be brought on paper but this representation of him was exaggerated. It was an exaggeration, a drunken man’s fantasy of a beast that lurks in the enchanted forest.

“What is this!?” he fumed, hearing Francis’ laughing in the background and Arthur tried to contain his anger. “This must be a joke!”

After wording his emotions, the next assumption Arthur’s mind created was that everyone in the village imagined him to look that way – including the huntress. This sudden thought lingered longer on his mind than he wanted to, but he did not want to question it. The oddity of such a conjecture was enough to irritate him. “Bloody hell.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I don’t trust them.”

Elizabeta did not need to deepen the meaning of her statement: her facial expression was clearly suggesting that the female would exit her given chamber with a sword – or a pencil, it did not matter because in her hands, everything was a weapon. Even a towel.

“I agree and I think they distrust us just as much,” Sakura answered, still not comprehending how they had gotten into such a situation. First, they had been followed while Ludwig had successfully imprisoned the bounty hunter (not counting the meeting with the enchanted beast that was a cursed Prince). After she had managed to knock the youngest Beilschmidt out in order to climb down the tower in which she had been kept in, Sakura was saved by the cursed landlord himself, who – after discovering her real gender – had offered her and an unconscious Elizabeta a room to rest. The latter one needed it after being carried for an hour through the rain.

After the unconscious barmaid had woken up, Sakura had explained the circumstances of their situation – which were plenty and the chance of escape was rather not a topic she could mention. The indication that the beast had spoken of a deal that the two females would accept without consideration, caused Elizabeta’s irritation to rise.

“But I don’t understand why they would try to make amends by offering a deal, giving us a room and food?”

Sakura looked outside the window; the moon was clearer now, after the stormy clouds have ceased. “The Prince told me that keeping this mansion and the curse a secret would save other lives and not himself. I think there is more to the story than we are being told.”

“Indeed . . . But abducting two females, especially a known local barmaid will raise questions. It had caused more chaos to force me here,” Eliza grumbled with knitted eyebrows. She was reflecting on the scenes back in the village where she had fought with Gilbert – although the man had never once hit her. The barmaid had noticed that he had never once laid a hand on her, except for the piece of cloth he had put on her mouth. Despite her slight negative feelings for him, she had to admit that Gilbert Beilschmidt was not the same she had met a year ago. He had changed and Eliza wanted to know what the cause of it was.

“That is why he hopes to seal the deal so we can return to the village and pretend that nothing is out of the ordinary.”

After Sakura had worded her analysis of the next step, Elizabeta suddenly turned pale. A rather uncommon reaction for the barmaid, who never seemed to be lost at finding arguments that would suit her in any situation. Even for Sakura, who had only known the brunette for some hours, this kind of a reaction was odd. Before the huntress could question Eliza, the barmaid herself explained what the reason for the state was.

“I think that may be a problem,” Eliza confessed in a whisper, “Because there is one person that knows of our – or rather your abduction.”

Sakura lifted an eyebrow, waiting for her friend to continue.

“I sent a letter to the person you had contacted during the morning, telling them that you were in danger. I told the messenger that this letter was of high priority.”

“You knew the address?” Sakura spoke after several seconds of silence.

“I memorised it. I don’t know if the letter has ever arrived, but if it has, then the Prince and Beilschmidt will find out. They cannot hold three hostages in this mansion, can they?”

The black-haired bounty hunter had to hide her smile. “Well you contacted my sister. And I know that she will pack her things the moment she reads that I am in danger.”

Her tone was calm and Elizabeta could not ignore the small smile on her roommate’s face. “Things? What does she –” the barmaid paused, her eyes widened as realisation dawned on her, “She is the same as you! A bounty hunter!”

Her conversation partner nodded and Eliza asked herself why no one considered a more normal occupation anymore. Everyone seemed to favour extraordinary jobs, unlike her. The people she had met the last few hours were bounty hunters, cursed princes and bodyguards of said enchanted royal member. Why she found herself among them was a secret only God knew. She silently cursed before considering their options.

“Do you think she will find the mansion?” The brunette asked before dismissing the question – Sakura’s unchanged expression told her that her sister would.

“She won’t need more than a few days to find it,” Sakura said, looking at her foot which had been bandaged the moment the two of them had entered their room – Eliza had still been unconscious but was being carried by Gilbert who had not once averted his eyes from her form. Sakura had noticed his eyeing in the woods before she had been attacked by both siblings. The tenderness in his look was hidden but only partly – the dark-haired huntress was an excellent observer and she knew he cared about Eliza; only the concerned woman seemed oblivious about it. But one had to admit that she was extremely wary in presence of the red-eyed man.

“Does your foot still hurt?”

Eliza’s question interrupted Sakura’s train of thoughts; the worry and hope that dictated her mind.

“Yes, but less than before,” the huntress admitted, returning to her state of thinking if her sister will arrive unharmed at the mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: It took me two weeks, I am so sorry, but I really had other things to do (concerning university and stuff), so don’t worry, I will continue with this story :). Just a side note: this story is short in comparison to my other fanfics. This is a rather small project and will not have like 30 chapters or so :)]


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

_“Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” ― Hans Christian Andersen_

* * *

 

 

The chirping of the birds echoed through the woods as Lien positioned herself on a branch of a tree. For almost two hours, the petite woman had waited for anyone to pass through the forest.

Her golden eyes wandered from tree to tree, watching every move of the leaves, while her ears perceived every sound. At first she had not believed the rumours of the villagers – the enchanted woods, they called it, after she had asked for directions. They told her that no human soul would enter the woods, only when they were dared to do so or drunk. And she could only confirm their statements, because no one had crossed her path. No footsteps were leading her to her destination; the rain must have washed them away days ago. Receiving an urging letter written with a penmanship she did not know, was unsettling her greatly. The content of the paper had raised the uncomfortable feeling in her gut; something had happened to her sister.

Lien knew that something was off, and after arriving in the woods, her instincts had warned her immediately.

 

A soft touch on her right shoulder broke the thoughts in her racing mind.

“Oh,” she whispered, observing a small robin looking curiously at her. The small bird settled itself on her cape and the female was left with the thought why the animal felt comfortable with her presence.

‘Must be used to humans,’ she thought, contradicting her earlier concept that the woods were not inhabited. The frown on her face deepened . . . Indeed, this place was strange.

The bird on her shoulder suddenly chirped excitingly before taking off immediately, leaving the bounty huntress on her own.

“What is it?” Lien mumbled before a new sound presented itself in form of a human voice and a huffing of a horse.

 

“There you are, Robin.”

The voice was of a curious and light-hearted nature. Characteristics that Lien had long forgotten. Such traits rested in her memory. As a child, she had possessed them; when she had been hopeful about her future . . .

Slowly, the hiding female moved forward, looking for the invader of the woods.

Light sandy hair reflected the rays of the sun, but his back was turned towards her. “Have you missed me?” he asked excitingly, listening to the bird’s happy chirping. “Of course you did.”

Finally, the blonde man directed his mustang forward, giving Lien a perfect view of him.

‘A soldier?’ she asked herself, analysing the uniform and badges on his attire, recognising the insignia of an ancient Kingdom on the hilt of his sword.

Why would a member of the royal guard of the Kingdom of Whitefort patrol through foreign woods?

“I need to visit my brother; I don’t know if you have seen it but they have imprisoned a bounty hunter. Can you imagine?”

It was pure luck that he was speaking loudly with a bird, disclosing his intentions and the fate of Sakura, leaving Lien no choice but to follow the man. The only problem that occurred was that he was quicker on horse than she was on foot. She had only one chance to pursuit his steps.

Waiting for the perfect opportunity, he slowly – but luckily – trotted under the tree where Lien was hiding herself. He descended from his horse, probably giving the animal water and food.

The huntress jumped from the branch, landing with a thud behind him.

“Wha–”

A small knife was pressed against the man’s neck, before he could twirl around for surveying his attacker.

“Bring me to the mansion!”

Dumfounded, the addressed person remained silent, until Lien repeated her words. Minutes passed and she waited.

“No,” he replied, less happy than he had sounded minutes ago when he was speaking with the bird.

“You will.”

“Are you one of them? Trying to kill my brother for money?”

Lien possessed a fair amount of patience, but when it concerned the welfare of her family, she did not have the time to dally around.

“They have my sister.”

The soldier stilled in his movements. “Sister?”

It was clear that he was rather impressed by that disclosure.

“If they will execute her . . .”

Quickly, the man answered her with such a sincere voice that Lien felt sorry for holding him in her dangerous grasp. “They won’t, I promise.”

A relieved expression passed over the huntress’ face, before her face hardened again. “Fine, your life for hers.”

 

* * *

 

Two days had passed since Sakura and Eliza had arrived at the mansion. During their first evening, they had been left alone by everyone – after the adventure they needed a good rest.

The second day, they had refused to leave their personal room; not out of fear, but due their planning on escaping the building. They had suggested and changed ideas only to come up with one solution: there was none.

Now they had received the order by a servant that they needed to go to the hall. Both were accompanied by a small blonde boy – everything looked the same at every corner and the two females where not familiar with the paths and stairs that would lead them to the main hall. Sakura needed some time and was not fast with the crutch that supported her wounded foot.

Another person met them shortly afterwards, only this time both recognised the uncommon silver hair that suddenly entered their periphery.

“Oh no,” Eliza murmured next to Sakura, observing the man approaching them with a determination in his eyes that unsettled the barmaid.

“I will bring both to the hall.”

“Of course you will,” the brunette woman snorted, crossing her arms and glaring at the man in front of her. Even in this situation, Eliza’s eyes flashed with anger – he had brought her in this mess, he had anesthetised her and the day they had met years ago, he had underestimated her as a barmaid. Not to mention his intense staring that was always making her feel self-conscious – even if she refused to openly show it.

To her wonder, he stopped in his tracks, wearing a softer expression on his face.

Gilbert wanted to say something but decided against it; he turned back around before leading the way to the hall.

It was the first time Eliza thought he looked a little hurt, but she claimed that it could not had been her comment, could it? She shook her head, supressing those thoughts.

 

Unbeknownst to her, the brunette was influencing his mood – especially his guilt. He was having difficulties showing his usual demeanour whenever she was near him. Her eyes were always judging him, silently cursing him for her situation. Gilbert had never wanted her to be caught in this mansion and he blamed himself for it, but what choice did he have? She hated him and it broke his heart.

 

It did not take them too long to arrive at their destination. The grand doors opened, giving the two _guests_ an opportunity to closely observe the ornaments that decorated the silver walls. Pillars were adorned with roses, which functioned as the main eye catcher in the room. The cursed Prince sat on a majestic throne that supported his powerful stance; It controlled the atmosphere of the room. Both the women asked themselves how much more his demeanour would influence the ambience in the room if his form and face would not be hidden by a cloak.

“Finally,” he spoke clearly, the architecture of the room causing his words to echo strongly through the main hall. It was an indication that both had taken longer than he had wished for; and he did not like to wait. He was familiar with this role – being the one to form orders, demonstrating his capability as a Prince or a future leader. His aura was the same as that of a King, even if this position was denied him. Since he had been a child, Arthur had taken sessions in order to be prepared for this occupation. One that he had always thought would be his future. Until that eventful and ridiculous incident that had changed his entire life.

Arthur had been too lost in his role to notice his mistake of criticising them: The female hunter’s foot was bandaged and she was supporting her weight on a crutch. She was not able to walk faster . . . How could he have forgotten? He noticed her blinking brown eyes focussing on her injury before glancing back at him. Instantly, and despite his authoritarian act, he cursed to himself. The beast shifted in his seat, earning questioning glances from Ludwig and Gilbert, who stood near his grand seat. Thank God his hood hid his face.

“W-Well,” he cleared his throat, “I have come to decision.”

The echoes silenced after several seconds and the man was surprised that neither of the females had reacted towards his spoken words. The barmaid glanced at Gilbert, a stubborn expression crossing her face before her eyes focussed on the Prince again.

Eliza was frowning, “Indeed? How do you know we are going to accept your deal? And if this takes any longer than a few minutes, you should offer Kura a seat.”

Taken back by her words, Arthur stood from his chair. “I do not like repeating my words, but you do not have any other choice but to accept it. It is a generous offer. I could have thrown you in a cell.”

“There is always a choice,” Eliza replied.

“You should be thankful that I am giving you this offer!” Now the beast was walking towards her, but the brunette was not impressed. Her eyes were clearly challenging him.

“I have seen how thankful you were,” she commented, pointing to Sakura’s leg.

The stuffing tension was rising, just like Arthur’s temper, as his steps mirrored the sound of his voice – he was approaching the barmaid as fast as his feet could take him.

To his dismay, he had not expected the huntress to position herself between him and Eliza – an altruistic act, because she had already witnessed his magical power. Thinking about that incident again, he stopped in his tracks while his eyes wandered to the crutch she was holding.

Gilbert and Ludwig had already run to the quarrelling party.

“Don’t,” commanded Arthur, blocking both the siblings’ way, as he observed the petite huntress in front of him.

“Give her a chair,” he lowly ordered with a softer voice, leaving everyone else in the grand room stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Vietnam is a badass just like her sis. America talks with animals, because the thought of it seems cute. I chose the bird Robin, because 1. They are just so fluffy and adorable, 2. It is the unofficial national bird of Britain (voted by the population). And choosing a Mustang as Alfred’s horse does not need to be discussed does it? (As a child, I loved the Disney movie Spirit).]


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

_“Courage is found in unlikely places.”_ _― J.R.R. Tolkien_

* * *

 

 

The weather had not changed as Lien and Alfred were walking; neither did their position: Lien was still pressing the knife in the soldier’s back who was leading the way – with his horse next to him – through the forest.

“You know, you do not have to hold the knife a– All right, all right!”

For the last minutes, the man had tried to convince her to retreat her weapon from him. After she had taken his sword away, the man was obviously armless, but she could not take any chances. Lien had increased the pressure of her small knife whenever he worded the suggestion that she could walk normally beside him; that he would not hurt her.

 

“What is your name?”

The female blinked, “Excuse me?”

“Your name?” Alfred’s voice sounded again.

“Why do you want to know my name?”

Although his back was turned to her, she could feel the smirk that his lips formed.

“Well, I want to know the name of the person that is threatening me,” he reasoned slowly turning his head towards her; she was distracted by his statement and he took advantage of it. As she lifted her eyes to meet his, she pushed him forward, forcing him to watch his steps, but he could still catch the small blush on her cheeks. ‘Odd,’ he thought, she was capable of taking him down, threatening him and forcing him to bring her to his cursed brother and still her being seemed so innocent. Her dark hair was bound together, but her golden eyes spoke more than thousand words. Nonetheless he strangely thought her adorable, despite her other traits. Why such a petite woman would even chose the occupation of a bounty hunter was strange; her sister must be of similar height and power.

“What motivated such a pretty girl like you to be a huntress?” He was curious person and loudly expressed his interest, only to realise that he had put her off her stride once again. She clearly was not used to be confronted such inquiries while she was _working._

“What motivated you to be a solider?” She shot back, but the nervous tone in her voice was detectable.

“You think I am a soldier?”

“Your attire tells me so.”

With a raised brow, he turned his head again, knowing that she had no idea who she was currently threatening.

The petite woman was certain that he was a _mere soldier_ – he was only disguised as one, to avoid any attention. Of course she would not recognise him: the youngest brother of the royal family – the beast’s brother.

 

 

Lien could see towers reaching for the sky. As they neared the scenery, she saw the rosebushes enclosing the walls that protected the building from the outside world. Describing the construction as a mere mansion was an understatement, but claiming it to be a castle was an exaggerating.

“This is it?” she whispered to herself, but loud enough for her companion to understand her words.

“Yes.”

“Impressive . . .”

A loud scrunch forced both to still. The gates opened itself, causing Lien to hide herself behind her hostage. She positioned her head in a way that allowed her to see the yard of the building without being seen by anyone else.

Workers with smiling faces were watering the roses and cutting the bushes: A sight that did not indicate that a hostage was held inside the building.

“Your Royal Highness,” one tall blonde man shouted, greeting the man on whom she had still her knife pressed on. Why the servant had addressed him as a royal member surprised the huntress, who absentmindedly lessened her grip on her weapon.

“Royal Highness?” Lien whispered as a horrified expression took over her face: the insignia of the Kingdom of Whitefort! She had threatened a Prince! As she tried to understand the meaning of it, her eyes widened more: If he was a Prince and the brother of the man Sakura had tried to . . .

‘Oh dear God,’ her mind shouted, ‘But why would Sakura attack a Prince for money? She must have been tricked into this!’

 

“. . . Oh please not again . . .”

Thunderstruck, Lien focussed her eyes on a tall blonde man who suddenly stood next to her. His look was not angry but rather tired – apparently he had met her sister.

“Why can’t they have normal jobs,” he mumbled, not certain if he should attack Lien or not – he must have had a small trauma from facing Sakura’s strong attacks.

“Take your weapon down!” Now the man’s voice held a demanding tone. “Before I have to take action.”

As she did not obey, the man touched his wrist.

A light pull on her foot distracted her once again, only that it lifted her aggressively in the air and she was left headfirst, watching as the world turned literally upside-down. She struggled, wiping her knife around. As she moved her arm to her foot to cut the plant around her ankle, Lien noticed as the rose bushes around her grew – A terrible feeling took over her: This was indeed an enchanted forest.

 

* * *

 

“So, you offer us money in order to keeping this entire incident as a secret? And if we break it, you will make sure that none of us will speak ever again?”

“Indeed,” Arthur spoke, glad that both of his _guests_ had understood the deal. At his side, Gilbert nodded, his face showing less signs of stress. The other sibling of the Beilschmidt had left the room minutes ago, after he had decided to wait for Alfred’s arrival at the gates.

Sakura, whose expression had not once changed, tilted her head. “How much exactly?”

Hearing her voice for the first time that day, Arthur’s attention was immediately caught. Her tone sounded extremely soft and he could imagine her singing lullabies whenever someone was upset – if it was a friend or a child. Quickly, he changed his focus, cursing himself once again for losing himself in thoughts he should not have.

“A lot . . . More than you can imagine.”

Arthur analysed the woman: She closed her eyes and took a long breath. Her hands were placed on her lap; after she had been given a seat, her fingers had not moved from their position. In spite of her occupation as a huntress, she had an elegant demeanour. Why she caused him to form such ideas in his mind and observe her more intensely than Eliza, was a question he did not want to ask himself.

“The same amount as the wanted poster offered?”

The mention of that abhorrent illustration was enough for his heart to beat faster. “Y-Yes,” the Prince untypically stammered, still asking himself who exactly had created that piece of unworthy art. ‘She has seen it,’ he mused, staring intensely at her, ‘she has seen it and is not afraid of me. Well the picture is a lie . . .’

“Fine . . .,” the black-haired hunter expressed, glancing at the barmaid who nodded – both agreed to the terms. They only hoped that they could inform Lien about it before she would find the mansion or the beast.

The Prince let out a breath he did not know he was holding. It was pure relief; both would not cause any harm with this treaty. He was glad to not use other measurements to silence them – and he knew that Gilbert would stop him, if he dared to hurt the brunette barmaid.

Sakura grabbed the crutches near her chair, balancing her weight as she straightened herself. Even if she was still considered an enemy of his, Arthur made sure that she could not fall forward – having small amounts of magic dancing on his fingertips. His instinct released those streams of supernatural powers and it seemed inexplicable to him that his magic reacted the way it did. 

The cursed Prince’s eyes focused on her injury and he was not sure if he should offer her some days to rest at the mansion before returning to her home – particularly of the fact that he was responsible for her injury, after worsening it during the fight days ago. “I –”

The door was ripped open aggressively. “Your Highness, I apologise, but we have an invader – They threatened Prince Alfred!”

Immediately, his eyes shot to Sakura’s face, which was adorned with sweat drops. It was clear that she was aware of the attack – and was probably befriended with the criminal.

“Is it someone of your kind!?” Arthur’s commanding voice returned and as he saw her widened eyes, the blonde Prince felt a small thorn in his heart – the deal that had been accepted seconds ago was now compromised.

Within seconds, the beast stepped closer to her and the determined look returned on her face; She would never show weakness in front of him, he realised, even in this situation.

 

“Sakura?”

The addressed woman turned her head to the new voice in the room. Lien’s hands were bundled together as she was pushed into the main hall. Without thinking of her wounded leg, Sakura hobbled to her sister, only to feel someone grabbing her arm.

“Hunter, what is going on?”

“She is her sister,” Alfred voiced, entering the room with the same smile he always wore. Every present in the room stared at both the bounty hunters.

“I beg your pardon?” Arthur said, flabbergasted by this outcome – or rather unusual family reunion.

He was not sure what to do as he eyed their newest invader in the mansion. Only a few days ago he had offered the prisoners a room: a step in the right direction. A peace offer. Now another bounty hunter – who was the sister of their current _guest_ – stood in front of him. The last ten years had not been as eventful as the last three days. Why did he need to endure these things?

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I wanted to thank everyone for reads and the kudos :)]  
>  


	11. Chapter 11

 

* * *

 

 _“Not being heard is no reason for silence.”_ _― Victor Hugo_

* * *

 

 

“I can explain,” Eliza suddenly intervened, her eyes wandering between Arthur to Lien and Alfred. Why did she find herself in such a mess?

The cursed Prince did not let go of Sakura’s arm – he even drew her closer to him, demonstrating that he could hurt her if no one would give him a logical explanation of the situation.

“Indeed. I would like to hear your excuses for setting a trap!?” the blonde beast roared, his voice shaking with anger. “And to think I could have trusted the both of you.”

“There was never a trustful bound,” Sakura commented, defending Eliza. Despite her calm being, the huntress was becoming upset by the beast’s behaviour. “She notified my sister the moment I was abducted by your men!”

The pressure on her arm increased for a few seconds, before it lessened. Arthur was trying to compose himself in front of everyone, ignoring the huntress’ previous words.

“So how many people did your dear friend call to help you? One? Ten? An army?” The beast snarled, trying to sound as dangerous as possible.

“Only Lien,” Sakura stated. Arthur was towering over her and she knew how powerful he was. He could end her in a second with his magic or hurt her beloved sister.

“She did not know what to do. And everyone would have done the same if they were in her place . . .,” the petite huntress added, silencing the entire room.

“But she had threatened Alfred,” the Prince exclaimed before his voice stilled immediately – indeed, his younger brother had been attacked but did nothing to fight against the woman. Very uncommon for the light-hearted man.

Arthur had made certain that his family member received the most effective training he could afford – resulting that Alfred was stronger than most men of his former kingdom’s army. Lifting an eyebrow, the cursed Prince observed his brother.

“She jumped from a tree and surprised me,” his younger brother explained, shrugging his shoulders

“Does anyone else know about your adventure?” The beast inquired, addressing Lien who was still baffled over the use of magic in this area. Never before had she witnessed such a phenomena – no wonder her sister had been caught, she had not expected something of this kind.

“No,” Lien replied, watching the cursed Prince holding her sister in a strong grip, although it the hold seemed less strong.

“Still . . . You have accepted the deal knowing that she will come for you.” Now Arthur’s green eyes glared at Sakura again.

But instead of the small huntress, Eliza raised her voice. “Then she will be included in the deal . . . You have magic, you can defend everyone that will attack your mansion –”

“You don’t know what you are talking about! No one is supposed to know!”

“But you can’t hold everyone prison, some will notice,” Sakura spoke. Her face was stoic, but her thoughts were focused on the questions that were left unanswered: What was the beast’s reason?

The room quietened again. Without considering the matter, Arthur worded the order that the three invaders should return to their chamber. They did not protest, seeing it as a chance of talking privately to each other.

“Gilbert and Ludwig will take you back to your room!” The cursed Prince commanded and made certain that the huntress at his side would reach her destination safely. At first that thought seemed ridiculous; she had compromised the deal after all – not to mention the other things she had done the last few days. But Arthur could not prevent his magic, as it flew around her leg to support it – as if the powerful energy had his own mind.

This action was not left unnoticed by the concerned female who shot him a questioning look. He himself averted his sight to Alfred, whose expression mirrored Sakura’s.

“You are to be present in this room in a few hours!” the Prince commanded again before Eliza and the two sisters exited the room.

 

* * *

 

“What was that?” Alfred blurted out, not really considering the tenseness in the room – he was used to his older brother’s temper.

“What was what?”

The blue-eyed Prince raised a brow, “You helped her with your magic.”

“Well, she is injured, is she not?”

“Yes, but I didn’t think you would care for such things . . . Especially if she is the one that attacked you.” Alfred’s smile grew. “And you gave them a private chamber.”

Knowing that his younger brother would not stop asking questions, Arthur used his own way to silence him. “You did not fight that bounty huntress even though you are one of the strongest warriors I know!”

Alfred’s eyes widened before he adjusted his glasses; His eyes were focused on a spot on the other side of the room – indeed, he had not drawn his sword, even though he could have. But hurting a woman that wanted to save her sister? Apparently both brothers seemed to share the same mentality when such occurrences happened.

“It was easier if I had led her here, where she could not escape and see her sister.”

“You could have brought her here after you knocked her out,” Arthur stated as a matter of fact and Alfred saw his chance of an excellent reply.

“But wouldn’t Sakura be angry?” It was the strangest conversation both could have; and it included two pretty women that did not strike as society expected young Ladies to be. Had they been in their castle in _Whitefort_ and attended a ball, both would be laughing. But clearly, they were facing a different reality.

Clearing his throat, the oldest of the brothers contemplated the situation at hand, changing the topic.

“If _Whitefort_ is in danger because of those rumours then we have to act.” The sentence was spoken in a strong voice, but Alfred could still detect a small tremor in his brother’s tone. _Acting_ meant facing their parents, their home and their enemy. The beast would refuse to show itself in front of them, especially since their archenemies would take advantage of that odd situation: the heir of the throne, cursed and isolated behind his walls of roses.

“Ludwig mentioned an aware-poster in the letter. If we analysed the brushstrokes and hunt down the artist –”

Instantly, Arthur huffed loudly, his blood boiling due to the anger that settled itself at the pit of his stomach.

“That bloody picture!” he cursed.

Alfred’s questioning look adorned his face again. “That bad, eh?”

The sharp green eyes that were directed to the youngest Prince, were hidden by the hood that Arthur had still on his head. “To have the effrontery to illustrate me like that.”

The grin that spread across Alfred’s face illuminated the room and light chuckle escaped his lips. “I really want to see it now.”

“No, you don’t! No one will. I forbid it!”

“Well now I understand why you want the huntress to have a good opinion of you, because she saw–”

“N-No! That is not what we are talking about!” The booming voiced echoed through the room and Arthur was asked himself, why this topic was causing his nerves to go crazy. Even if the man had his back turned to his younger brother, Arthur could still feel the triumphing smile on Alfred’s face.

After the silence had strained their impatience, the oldest decided to speak again. “Maybe we could ask them to become our allies?”

Now Alfred’s joyful expression was absent from his face, “Excuse me, did you say allies?” Never before had his cursed brother considered something like that – of course the three were strong, especially the bounty hunters, who had enough experience with fighting, spying and defending. But having them act as their new addition in their plans?

“The barmaid could question her clients and return back. If she finds out who has paid the artist for that poster, it would be a great help.”

“But we both know who paid them, right?”

Arthur turned around and walked to his brother, “Indeed, but I want to be certain, even if I already know.”

“It is nice of you to give them a second chance,” Alfred sighed, laying a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“I just see an opportunity . . . Because if this becomes a problem and the three are turning against us due their stay here, we will have enemies one wishes not to have, Alfred.”

The addressed blonde wore a proud smile. “Words of a King . . . And King you will be, brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I am so tired, so I am sorry if there are many mistakes :O.]


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

_“Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced.”― Leo Tolstoy_

* * *

A small rose grew in the beast’s hand as he softly whispered an enchantment. He had heard Alfred’s words, but Arthur was not certain if he should believe them. _King you will be, brother._

“I don’t know”, he finally replied, observing the plant between his fingers – Roses had protected him since he had fled from his country. They had kept him company, witnessed his vulnerability and soothed him with only their presence. All these years, they had become the loveliest sight his eyes had beheld. The feeling of protection was associated with them . . . until a certain petite huntress had succeeded in finding the mansion.

“Well I know, and maybe the curse will break.”

Now this had the enchanted prince’s full attention as the magic violently danced across his fingers. “You are fully aware that nothing can break it. I have tried everything.”

Alfred shook his head. The small strand that always seemed to disrupt the natural structure of hair, moved along. “No, you didn’t.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

The sympathetic expression on his younger brother’s face did not help Arthur at all to decrease the stream of magic that was rushing through his veins. The night he had been cursed was something he described as a pathetic occurrence – if it had been an act of heroism or self-sacrifice that has put him into his current situation, Arthur would not have been as angry as he was now. But that was not the case. The enchanted man had managed to curse himself with a spell and he did not know the act he needed to fulfil of breaking it.

“So, should I call for them?” Alfred asked, receiving a thoughtful glance from his brother – the oldest of them had decided to change his mind. Something he often did, considering the last days.

“No, I will see them personally in their room . . . After I take a walk.” The atmosphere in the grand room was a sad and tense one. As Arthur spoke his last words, he turned to leave, seeking comfort in his gardens. Whenever he was looking in the mirror, the man was reminded of his own worst nightmare; and speaking of the curse and its breaking was not something he wanted to think about.

Reaching the door towards the yard, Arthur sighed. The magic floated through his fingers; it was a gift and a curse at the same time. He had been born with it; the only family member capable of using such supernatural powers. No one could have helped or train him how to use it wisely. And that had led him to experiment with it – with negative consequences he was facing now in its cruellest form.

 

* * *

 

Eliza’s anger was visible through the look of her eyes; they had been called to the main hall and ordered back as quickly as they could breathe. Plus, the strangest things had occurred: another bounty hunter and Prince had joined the scenery, leaving her and Sakura in a situation, no one wanted to be in.

She wanted to curse loudly as they walked back to their room, but remained silent due to the present of Gilbert, who glanced every second at her. Why he had the need of doing this, was the next thought that crossed her mind.

Eliza glared at him, only to receive an encouraging nod in return – something she had definitely not expected.

“Why do you seem so positive?” she demanded, not having her feelings under control, especially when he was looking at her.

“Everything is going to be all right,” Gilbert replied, trying to assure her that the compromised deal was nothing dangerous for them. He knew his master and could not believe that Arthur would punish them. After witnessing how the beast took care of the wounded bounty huntress, Gilbert realised that the cursed Prince would try to find a solution – especially when his brother helped him in making a decision.

“How can you be sure?” For the first time, fear dominated the tone of the young bartender, even if she sounded confident.

“I know him long enough.”

“How long?” A new softer voice joined in. It was Sakura, who had remained silent during the last minutes – she was in deep thought since they had left the main hall. If it was because of the situation or the astonishing fact of the Prince’s magic that supported the huntress in her walk, Gilbert did not know.

“Our parents had worked for the Royal family,” Ludwig suddenly spoke, surprising everyone with his voice – he had acted loyal towards the Beast, and now the women knew why it had been this way.

“No wonder you would protect him at all costs,” Sakura mentioned, eyeing the soft green light that encircled her leg. She was still fascinated with the magical power the Prince possessed; even if he had first injured her, the beast was now using his powers to help her. A good-willed gesture she was not sure how to analyse; He was indeed a strange person. Everyone described him as a beast, but Sakura could see human characteristics in his behaviour: the nervousness, the anger, the will to help and to protect . . . He was hiding himself from the outside world, from his Kingdom and from someone that endangered his and his family’s safety, Sakura concluded. The bounty huntress was certain that someone was forcing or paying bounty hunters to go after him. And unconsciously, she had been part of that plan.

Somehow, Sakura felt guilty and was caught in her thoughts as she and her friends passed a grand window. Even if they had almost reached their quarters, Sakura stopped in her tracks as her sight wandered towards the window. It was not the beautiful roses outside that caught her attention, nor the sunrise that coloured the few clouds in different shades.

It was the frame of the cursed Prince that walked lonely through the gardens. The hood had fallen off, as he was walking past the bushes. Feeling completely comfortable, the man turned to the side, giving Sakura a perfect view of his face. A soft light illuminated his face, as his magical hands created a beautiful rose. Although it was a stunning piece, the plant seemed to mirror its master’s emotion.

“So sad,” she whispered to herself, reading the expression, he was wearing.

As if he had somehow heard her, Arthur suddenly stared at her – his eyes widening as realisation dawned on him. _She saw him_.

Quickly, he pulled his hood over his head before rushing back to the castle. And yet the sight of those emerald sad eyes never left Sakura’s mind, as her feet forced her to move forward.

 

* * *

 

“Oh dear Lord,” The cursed Prince muttered, the floating magic around him illustrating his shaking state. He had not wished her to see him; he had certainly not expected her to walk past that window. ‘I need to get rid of that window,’ Arthur mused, blaming the object for being seen by the huntress.

“Brother?”

Arthur’s feet stopped instantly, but the man did not dare to turn around and face Alfred in this state.

“Is everything all right?”

The question was rather rhetoric; seeing the wild magical aura around the enchanted Prince was speaking for itself.

“Y-yes.” The stammering was notable and the youngest of the brothers could not be fooled by any lies Arthur was telling.

“I know you are lying to me. What happened?” Alfred was serious, and Arthur knew that he could not escape his brother’s questions. If Alfred wanted to get information, he would receive it. No matter what.

“S-she saw me.”

Alfred, who adjusted his spectacles, heaved a sigh. “Arthur, please be more prec–”

“The huntress . . . S-she was looking through that bloody window on the first storey.” Before his partner could properly answer him, Arthur did not stop in his ranting. “Who has put that unnecessary thing there!?”

The slight shaking in Arthur’s voice could not hide the fact that the man sounded displeased with the situation that the injured huntress had seen his appearance – and not the object per se. Alfred knew how sensitive his brother was; the cursed Prince was always hiding his emotions with fury and magic. Since the huntress had arrived at the mansion, Arthur was showing different signs of behaviour Alfred had not seen in a long time. For him it seemed strange, but he could not ignore the suspicious thought that the cursed Prince was developing a fondness for the bounty huntress.

“How did she react?” He dared to ask his older brother, but apparently it must have been a bad reaction for Arthur himself was not happy at all.

“I-I don’t know . . . I left as fast as I could.”

“I don’t think she would have been shocked. Well–”

“Alfred! She was looking straight at me . . .”

The mentioned man shook his head, “Dear brother, she saw that poster, confronted you even if she knew you could defeat her with magic and she has not once openly shown her fear towards you.”

Arthur stayed silent, pondering over his brother’s spoken words.

“The only question I have for you is, why you seem so upset about her finding out?”

In a motion, the beast turned around, looking at his brother with widened eyes. Arthur clearly knew what Alfred was alluding. “I-I am not upset.”

“Yes, you –”

“N-No!” The enchanter shouted, huffing after the words left his throat. He was aware of his behaviour’s changing, and the way Alfred was asking those questions was confusing Arthur. But still all the Prince did was blaming the huntress.

“By the way, you need to inform them of your plans.” Stretching his arms, Alfred tilted his head in the stair’s direction, wearing a big smile on his face. His brother wanted to curse loudly, knowing fully well what Alfred wanted to point out.

Grumbling a small “yes”, Arthur made his way towards the guests’ room, wishing that Lien had hit Alfred’s head, for the man would not have been able to provoke the beast with his attitude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Somehow this “small project” is becoming bigger than I had first planned . . . And frankly, I really love writing this story and am excited whenever I can write new chapters :D. Nonetheless University starts next week, so I will try to update once a week]


	13. Chapter 13

 

* * *

 

_“Every woman is a rebel.”― Oscar Wilde_

* * *

“Sakura?”

The woman was pulled out of her thoughts as she reached her chamber’s door. Eliza had entered the room while the wounded huntress was standing quietly at the doorframe. For the last few minutes, Sakura was reflecting on the moment of seeing the beast in the gardens. It was not his appearance that had caught her attention, but the expression that flashed over his face; his eyes that held so much conflicting emotions.  

“Did something happen?” Lien softly asked, observing her sister. Sakura, in return stared at the glowing flow of magic around her leg, thinking of what had just happened.

“Has he hurt you?” Quickly, the youngest of the sisters spoke louder, her stance growing protective as she laid both of her hands on Sakura’s shoulder.

Sakura on the other hand shook her head, “He did not . . . H-he helped me.” It was not a lie, because the man had supported her leg and slowly, she could feel how her limb healed under the magical power. The question, why he had done that was stuck in her head and she wondered why he was behaving differently from their first meeting. Was it the presence of his brother?

“How long are you planning to stand outside?” Eliza frowned, not due to the sisters’ private conversation – which she understood needed to take place – but rather due to Gilbert’s constant staring that was becoming exhausting for the barmaid. The moment the door would close, he would not have the opportunity to gaze at her intensively. At first it did no really trouble her, but now, she disliked the look in his eyes whenever he glanced at her.

“I’m sorry,” Sakura quickly replied, pulling her sister inside the room. She had not been completely oblivious to the curious eyes that were watching her. However her thoughts had been elsewhere and not focused on the Beilschmidt brothers.

Closing the door behind her, Lien discovered that the other two females’ faces wore a blush, which she did not question, as her attention was quickly drawn to the room.

 “This is your private chamber?” Lien asked a little baffled; she had not expected such a luxurious room, but a cold cell.

“Yes . . .,” The brunette barmaid commented and shot the closed door – despite her red face – a glare. “Unfortunately, the door is always guarded.”

“After my attempt of escape, I can only understand . . .,” Sakura mumbled, touching the glowing on her ankle that had still not ceased, even if she rested on a chair near the window. Her dark eyes wandered outside, looking for a certain hooded man. This act was an astonishing one for her, because she had no reason searching for him . . . And still her body moved on its own.

“What is going to happen to us? The beast seemed so upset . . .,” Eliza announced, her voice laced with slight nervousness. Of course she had acted strong in front of the cursed Prince; the brunette would not shy away from him – but now she was a bit afraid of the consequences she would face. Before Eliza could dwell more on that thought, Gilbert’s words suddenly echoed through her mind: _Everything is going to be all right_.

“I am sorry,” Lien sighed, blaming herself for the inconvenient situation. She and Sakura shared a glance.

“You are not at fault, Lien. I wanted to hunt him down for the sake of money and failed.”

The concerned woman nodded, stepping towards her sister to hug her. “I am so glad you are not dead . . . I was so worried when I received that letter,” she whispered, finally finding the time to word her worries, which he had not wanted to utter in front of the two Beilschmidt brothers.

“I am fine,” Sakura mumbled. Lien was her only family, after losing their proclaimed father, both had become immensely sensitive considering their welfare.

“We just need to find a way to escape,” Lien spoke softly. It was clear that she distrusted the inhabitants of the mansion.

“I don’t think that is a good idea. After seeing what he is capable of, we don’t stand a chance.”

Eliza’s words quietened the room, until Sakura spoke her mind, which she knew sounded strange to the other present. “I think he needs our help.”

“What? Our help in what?” The barmaid stood on her feet, flabbergasted by the injured huntress’ words.

“Helping him with his problems.”

“A selfish cursed magician who has an anger problem? He can clearly defend himself, as you have personally witnessed . . . And don’t get me started about the Beilschmidt brothers,” Eliza affirmed gruffly, being angrier of the latter men in her sentence than the cursed Prince.

“But have you not asked yourself, why a Prince would hide himself in the woods instead of reigning over his Kingdom. Something must have happened,” Sakura concluded before Eliza suddenly inquired what the name of the Prince was.

“I don’t even know,” the oldest of the hunters realised, trying to remember when the cursed beast had given her his name.

“Well the youngest of the Princes is Alfred,” Eliza spoke, laying her head in her hands.

“There must have been a scandal if a Prince left his Kingdom,” the barmaid acknowledged, “So it must have been a few years ago, or the Kingdom ceased to exist.”

“No . . .,” Lien intervened, “Prince Alfred wore a soldier uniform with the insignia of _Whitefort_. That means . . .”

Their gazes met at that very moment and Sakura absentmindedly touched her leg. “ _Whitefort_ . . . I have never visited it before, and despite my occupation, I had not heard of any Prince that was capable of using magic.”

“His Royal Highness, Prince Arthur of _Whitefort_ ,” Eliza suddenly professed, her face completely frozen as the woman realised whom they were talking about. At first she had not noticed Alfred’s uniform, neither had she remembered the story of the oldest Prince.

Silence took over and Eliza quickly decided to deepen her explanation. “I was eighteen when I started working in a tavern in the Kingdom of _Whitefort_. The scandal that the oldest Prince had suddenly disappeared years ago from the castle was spreading news. But no one knew what happened . . . Some spoke of an assassination, others of abduction . . . He must have been cursed by someone.”

“Prince Arthur of _Whitefort_ ,” Sakura murmured to herself, her eyes wandering once again towards the green flaring light on her ankle.

“How long has it been since his disappearing?” Lien asked Eliza.

“I think nine years.” The barmaid shook her head, not certain of her answer.

“Ten years.”

The three present were startled by the new voice in the room, but they knew who it was as they turned around to the door, watching the hooded man with widened eyes.

The women pushed themselves on their feet; Sakura steading her weight by touching the window board next to her.

“So you have found out . . .,” The cursed Prince spoke calmly, but the sound of his voice sounded accusingly. He had just come at the door, when he heard them mentioning his name and the years of his burden.

Arthur stepped into the room, seeing how none of the females were intimidated by his stature. Although his cloth hid his face from them, he did not dare to look at Sakura, whose eyes stared intensely at him.

“Well, I have heard some stories, but you never know which one is true,” Eliza decided to speak up, trying to hide her uncertainty.

“None of those you listed are true.” It was obvious that the beast did not like the topic and was displeased that the young women were aware of his past – although they did not know the details.

“And which version is true?” Sakura asked, tilting her head as she observed the Prince.

“T-That is none of your business,” he stammered, quickly regaining his composure as he cleared his throat. “I have come to a decision, considering the deal.”

Instead of enjoying the small silence, the cursed beast quickly stated his idea, “You will work for me.”

Elizabeta was the first to react, and she did not show her appreciation with an agreement. “Excuse me? Working for you?” The barmaid laughed, not taking anything serious. “First you threaten us and now you claim that we should work for you! What kind of a farce is this?”

“It is not a farce!” Arthur shouted, growing impatient by the sight of a sarcastic Eliza.

For him, the situation was not a funny one and despite his try to contain his emotions, the magic was once again dancing along his fingers.

Sakura, who sensed the sticky atmosphere, quickly walked between them, the stream of green light around her leg illuminating as she neared the source of the magical energy.

“Why do you need us?”

It was a simple question, and still Arthur could not answer it with a few words. Although he was relieved when he saw a sincere look in her eyes – she did not mock him, as she was the only one that had witnessed his powers.

“There are people that want me dead, and I am not speaking of bounty hunters, but of an entire Kingdom.”

“And you trust us enough to consider us allies,” Eliza mumbled, her eyebrow lifted that underlined her expression of distrust.

“I will have to, and the same goes for you.” The enchanted man pointed at the three. “If money is what you want–”

Eliza quickly interrupted Arthur, “–I want my freedom.”

“You won’t have any freedom if they find out where I reside! They will raid the entire village, kill every single one of them in order to hang me. In addition to that, they will lynch the three of you, because you had visited the mansion.”

“I won’t call it a visit,” Eliza whispered, before focusing on the main problem, “You mean we have no choice.”

“No you don’t, at least I can promise that you will be protected behind these walls. And Gilbert will certainly try to save you whenever you would face danger.”

At the mention of the silvery-haired man, Eliza suddenly flushed, trying to disagree with that argument – although her mouth could not form any proper words.

“Is it a deal?”

The three women exchanged glances, before Sakura nodded, looking at Arthur with a determined look. “We accept your deal.”

No other comment was thrown into the room.

“Fine.” The hooded Prince wanted to leave and was almost at the door, before he was prevented to do so by a certain petite woman that could still not walk without his power’s help.

“Won’t you tell us what to do? We need some information before we could carry out any action.”

He thought it strange of her to offer her services immediately, instead of fighting. Arthur could not tell whether she had a plan of escaping the mansion, or if seeing his face was the reason for her kind act – Although for him, the latter option seemed not to be true, for he found himself hideous.

Whilst she was still staring at him, Arthur’s attention was focused elsewhere. He needed a few seconds to answer her, after having reflected on the words he should utter.

“You should rest,” was all he said, pointing his bandaged fingers at her leg before leaving. He had just turned away from her when he heard the huntress speak again.

“Thank you,” she softly called, “for supporting and healing my foot.”

All Arthur wanted to do was run away. She had fought him, thanked him and offered her help, even if he had hurt and shouted at her . . . Either something was wrong with the huntress or Arthur had not clearly understood what was happening.

Slowly he turned around, seeing once again an honest expression in her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he mumbled before dashing away in the direction of his own private room.

Ignoring Gilbert’s and Ludwig’s stares, Arthur’s mind was occupied with one thought: What had that woman done with him?


	14. Chapter 14

 

 

_“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” ―Rainer Maria Rilke_

* * *

 

 

Sakura was still staring at the fading hooded figure, as Gilbert nudged his brother in the side, whispering how strange this entire meeting between them seemed.

“If you say so, brother,” Ludwig replied, observing the petite huntress with narrowed eyes. He still distrusted her – not only due to her capability of fighting, but their master’s general behaviour towards her.

“I think he likes her,” Gilbert spoke to himself, “Who would have thought the grumpy Prince would prefer such a kind of woman.”

The youngest brother only lifted a brow, “Gilbert, you seem to like similar women?”

Gilbert froze, knowing exactly who Ludwig was talking about, with the exception that Eliza did express her feelings and hate towards him out loud.

“What happened to him?”

Both of the siblings turned their head towards Sakura.

“Something we cannot tell you,” Ludwig quickly chided, finding it rather unusual for the huntress to ask such a question. Despite their _guests’_ and their master’s new agreement, Ludwig did not trust any of them.

“Don’t you think we at least deserve to know what happened? We have made an alliance and therefore need any information that could help us.” Eliza stood at the doorframe, a deep frown gracing her face. She had heard Sakura’s question and intended to receive an answer from the Beilschmidt brothers. It was not only curiosity that forced her to form such words, but the mere fact that they did not know anything about the enchanted Prince – except for his use of magic, the years of his disappearance and his need to take shelter away from people that wanted him dead.

“That is not for us to decide,” The youngest of the brothers spoke sternly, clearly becoming angrier the more they were questioning them.

“You would not expect me to ask the Prince myself? Do you know what consequences I will face because of this _adventure_?” Eliza’s voice rose. “I probably lost my occupation as a barmaid, my friends will think I disappeared and my landlord won’t be happy to notice that I haven’t paid the rent.”

It was pure frustration that laced in her voice and the other present were rather shocked by her outburst – due to the fact that she was uttering private things.

“I understand, but still I cannot inform you of the Master’s curse.”

Eliza pursed her lips. “So that rumour is true. Who cursed him? The ones that want to kill him?”

“Miss!” Ludwig was scowling, giving Eliza a warning look. She was testing his nerves and had caused enough trouble in his eyes – considering how much control she had over his older brother. ‘That love stricken fool,’ Ludwig thought to himself.

Unfortunately, the man’s patience was not the only thing on the verge of falling apart – his brother gilbert seemed to be taken by the brunette’s words.

“Gilbert, it is for the best we go,” the blonde spoke harshly, “If you really want to know, I suggest you ask him yourself.”

As Ludwig noticed that Gilbert was still standing on the same spot as before, the youngest of the brothers decided to pull him away from the barmaid.

“We really need to –”

“I want to have a private word with Miss Eliza.”

Every present shot the white-haired man an astonished look.

Especially Eliza whose stuttering reflected her nervousness. “E-excuse me?” the concerned woman asked, totally baffled by Gilbert’s intention. As their eyes met, Eliza clenched her jaw. “Fine.”

 

Sakura was a little worried about the interaction between the quarrelling parties – even Ludwig heaved a sigh.

Despite Gilbert’s determined expression, a small blush and triumphal smile adorned his face. Apparently he had been uncertain if the barmaid would agree. “All right,” he spoke, signalling to the others to retreat – while his younger brother disappeared from the scene with a shaking head, Sakura and her sister slowly moved into their room before closing the door behind them.

The moment, Eliza heard the soft click of the lock, she quickly turned to Gilbert, watching him with wary eyes. “Well, what–”

“I am sorry.” Even if it was spoken in a low voice, the barmaid could still hear him and his words caused her mouth to close quicker than she had anticipated.

“I want to truly apologise for this awful incident. To force you to stay here and to cooperate had not been something on the list I wanted to do today . . .”

For the first time, Eliza was speechless. Never before had that confident man in front of her been so sincere – the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice convinced her.

“And all those other moments when we met . . . At the bar . . .  I did not know why I had acted that way when we met, but I . . .” The words faded into a soft breathe. He was uncertain about the attempt to express his feelings towards her. Not only was the dread feeling preventing him to loudly acknowledge his love for her, but the situation in which they were currently was as bad as it could be: He and his master were holding Eliza and her friends hostage – even if they had a deal, one could easily tell that the barmaid did not like the idea of staying at the mansion.  

“But you . . .?” Eliza inquired softly, becoming more impatient the more Gilbert silenced. Although her voice was giving the man hope, he decided to remain still. If he would show her his weakest side, she could easily take advantage of that – and despite him loving her, he did not know if she would do something like that. At the moment he was sure that Eliza would do anything to go home and forget this awful situation.

“Yes?” she tried to reassure him. Now she wanted to know what was happening – the sight of his tense body language and reddened cheeks were evidence enough. The red irises had not once gazed elsewhere, but into her green eyes.

“I-I . . .” The words were left unsaid as the man turned around, contemplating of the consequences of his thoughts of telling her everything.

“Yes?”

There it was again, her commanding tone, stubborn expression and glinting eyes he had come to love.

Despite the threatening looks, Gilbert could no prevent from staring at her without uttering a syllable – much to Eliza’s dismay.

 “Gilbert!”

At first the called man thought to have heard his name out of Eliza’s mouth, only to realise that she was just as baffled by the interrupting voice.

“Brother?” the white-haired man murmured, not breaking eye contact with the barmaid in front of him.

“The master wants to talk to us!” Ludwig spoke, approaching the party while glancing between his older brother and the brunette woman. “Now.”

The concerned man only nodded, before throwing Eliza an apologetic look. “W-we will speak again.” And with that, the siblings disappeared – Gilbert still dared to throw her one last look before passing the corner at the end of the hall.

 

“What was that?” Eliza whispered, focusing on her hands that were still warm from another one’s touch. Without her realising, Gilbert had stepped forwards and grabbed her hands – and action she had not once witnessed before. Whenever she had been in his presence, the man had tried to act confidently. But not for the last few days . . . She had noticed his posture, the uncertain acting, the trembling hands and the slight tremor in his voice. “ . . . That stupid Beilschmidt had the oddity to touch my hands.”

Neither her tone nor face gave the impression of an angry woman; she was flabbergasted at this development.

Slowly she stepped to the door, thinking for the first time of those dreamy red eyes that had captivated her moments ago.

“I must imagine things,” she murmured, denying the connection she and Gilbert had shared during their conversation.

The door was opened forcefully and the brunette was left staring wildly at the Hunter sisters.

“The faster we can fulfil this new sealed deal, the better for us to return to our daily life!” the barmaid suddenly blurt out, ignoring the nagging feel in her stomach that this sentence was only meant for herself – even if she had the odd feeling that nothing would be the same anymore.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I just finished this chapter on time. When I cannot update on time, it is mostly due to Having no free time. And this chapter, well it somehow had turned into a slight romantic interaction between Prussia and Hungary (I don’t know how it happened, it just did, as it always does whenever I write :’D)]


	15. Chapter 15

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  _“It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.” ―Jane Austen_  
 

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Whether it was his racing heart or his mind that forced his fingers to tap stressfully against the arm of the grand chair, Arthur did not know. All he was aware of was that he had changed over the last days – not only had his emotions become more confusing, but his mood was not the same anymore. While he had been expressing his temper in every form his magic could provide, Arthur was sure that now he seemed like a child that changed its opinion every second. It was not due to the upcoming tenth anniversary of his burden – he had long accepted fate – but the mere thought that there was hope for him: That his curse could actually break. Despite his denying comments about this topic, the beast had realised that the change lay in the hands of the bounty huntresses and the barmaid. The latter would not influence the curse much, but Sakura could be the reason. Over the few days he had seen or spoken to her, the man had to admit that she had quite a certain power over him which she truly underestimated. Slowly but surely, Arthur concluded that he may – and completely unplanned – had fallen in love with her. At that specific idea, the man abruptly stood from his seat, watching the great hall in front of him.

It had been created by his powers, stones and pillars forged out of robust material – the entire building was an artwork of his raging emotions. Arthur had claimed it to be his new home, his sanctuary, where he could hide from the world and the task of fulfilling his family’s honour in form of a leadership as the King of _Whitefort_. Though his brother would involuntary take over this role, the beast could not assume that its plan of hiding would fail . . . until a certain brown-eyed bounty huntress crossed his path. How this meeting had escalated into an invitation to let her stay into his mansion, he did not like to ask himself – only that she had stirred emotions inside him, he had never thought he would once witness them.

“–ther?”

Small voices threw the enchanted beast out of his thoughts.

“Arthur?” His brother’s question startled Arthur and the concerned man suddenly noticed that he was staring straight in front of him for the last few minutes. He remembered having called for his servants and brother with the intent of explaining them his plans on integrating their three female partners. 

“Y-Yes,” the beast cleared his throat, receiving raised eyebrows and a smirk – the latter was Francis’ expression, and he seemed delighted during the last few days. It was no secret that the blonde cook liked the idea of having new guests in their mansion. The reason was not their gender, but their effects on the residing people – including Arthur.

Ignoring the growing smile on Francis’ face, the cursed Prince finally came to word, deciding that the quicker the message was spoken, the fastest he would be left alone: Meaning that he could return to his private rooms in order to read and to prevent himself from thinking of their latest addition in the building.

“I have called you to inform you of your different roles considering our new allies.”

Despite the sealed treaty, Arthur could see many faces that doubted the alliance. He himself was still a little uncertain, because if would mean change; a change for a better or a bad future.

The silence was more than evident and it lasted before some of the servants spoke up.

“I beg your Pardon, Your Royal Highness, but I must admit that I still distrust the guests regardless of your idea.”

It was Ludwig who worded his mind.

“I know it is quite uncommon, but I see a chance and we have to take it,” Arthur answered after eyeing Alfred, who had motioned him to proceed in his talking. Without his younger brother, Arthur would have lost his view of reality completely – he would have gone mad without question.

“If you are certain of your decision, then I support it nonetheless.”

The beast’s eyes wandered to the oldest of the Beilschmidt siblings, trying to grasp an idea of Gilbert’s thoughts. Even if the red-eyed man seemed calm, it was clear that he was as unsettled as Arthur.

“They have asked after the reason of your curse,” the Gilbert suddenly mentioned, having reacted after noticing Arthur’s stare. “And in my eyes, they deserve to know.”

With knitted eyebrows, the enchanted Prince shot Gilbert a disapproving look. Of course they deserved to know of his curse, but Arthur would do anything to stop them from getting the truth. For him, it was shameful, a foolish mistake made by himself. How would they react after being told of it? How would _she_ react?

“I-I don’t see why!” His posture grew extremely defensive; everyone in the room knew of their master’s least favourite conversation topic – beside the topic of his cooking skills that always seemed to increase his rage.

“Because you consider them our friends,” Francis reasoned, seeing how much this topic was influencing the Prince’s mood. “I know some of you still disapprove of this odd boundary, but I support it. I have seen you being miserable for such a long time and these girls could help us. And I like them, they are not afraid to face your magic which makes it much easier for you to work with them.”

“Still, I don’t fully trust them,” the youngest of the Beilschmidt brothers uttered.

“I don’t think they trust us as much.”

“Enough!” the beastly voice roared, “They would be fools if they would compromise the deal once again.”

After realising that this kind of topic would lead to no solution, Alfred cleared his throat, “So what are your suggesting roles for us?”

“Gilbert, you will take care of the barmaid; you will help her in spying the visitors of the bar and watch over her. I don’t think it is something you haven’t done yet. This time she will know to what purpose you are at the bar, not like all those months ago when you were denied access to the tavern.” The last part of the sentence was muttered, but could still be heard by the silver-haired man who in return blushed out of shame before the familiar shade of his skin returned.

“Well, someone had insulted me, so I had to demonstrate what consequences would face him.”

“Do you believe that my brother is suited for this job?” Ludwig suddenly asked, considering his sibling’s feelings for the concerned woman.

“Of course I am! There is no one that is better for it!” His brother argued, despising his brother’s opinion of him – as if Gilbert Beilschmidt was too weak to handle Eliza.

Arthur only sighed, “He knows her best, and it would be better and less suspicious if he would return to the bar and apologise for his former actions.”

“Apologise?” Gilbert crossed his arms, trying to hide his uncertainty. He had apologised to Eliza moments ago for bringing her into the mansion; but he did not want to admit that he had done wrong at the bar all those months ago. The man had criticised Eliza’s choice of clothing – not realising that he had been jealous due to the lusting stares she had received by other male guests – and his way of speaking to her had always been commanding. The latter fact indicated that he liked to provoke her, because it was the only way she had given him attention. Now he knew that is was not the kind to win her heart and he had undoubtedly given her his.

“You exaggerated, Gilbert,” Ludwig explained, sharing his brother’s thoughts. Only that the younger sibling worded them loudly.

Before the oldest of them could justify himself, Arthur continued, “Ludwig, the youngest Huntress will be advised by you. What was her name–”

“Lien,” Alfred affirmed, receiving the room’s attention. The sandy blonde man walked to Ludwig, patting his shoulder in a friendly manner. “Excuse me Ludwig, but I think I am more capable for taking care of her.”

Despite Alfred’s encouraging display of his strength, Arthur’s eyebrows shot in the air. “And what do you think qualifies you?” the beast inquired, “The last time you were confronted with her, Ludwig and I needed to save you.”

With a waving hand, Alfred assured his brother. “I could have convinced her to not kill me and I did not want to harm the lovely young Lady.”

“Her intention was clear, why do I have to point that out?” Arthur was confused; his small brother looked for excuses – although he was proud that Alfred would never hit a girl.

“Because you are protective and love me,” Alfred grinned, knowing Arthur’s weakness.

“How dare you,” Arthur cursed under his breath, hating the way his sibling provoked him. “F-Fine!”

Francis, who had long observed the scene, decided to mention the last person that had not been spoken about. “It will be a strong team, Prince Alfred and Lien . . . An assassin and _Whitefort_ ’s strongest soldier. But what about the lovely Miss Kura?”

The question was surprising and forthright, causing the enchanted beast to freeze in his position.

“I don’t think Ludwig would want to take care of her,” the blonde cook resumed, “And due to her injury I believe I could bring her food and–”

“I-I will look after her!” The tone was a mixture of anger and distress. “S-She needs to rest and to fully heal in order to include her in the plans!”

The last words were accompanied with a glare that left no secret that Francis had offended the hooded Prince. The cook on the other hand wore an approving smile – he had always been a supporter of love. Besides being stuck in a mansion, he was glad to witness such positive feelings and the realisation that the curse might be broken caused his hopes to raise. “That’s the spirit,” Francis thought to himself, creating a light-hearted aura around him – much to Arthur’s dismay, who was certain that the cook was making fun of the beast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I love their interactions :D. The following chapters will include further interaction between the characters :). Thank you for all those who read and favourites this story :D]


	16. Chapter 16

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_“How many things have been denied one day, only to become realities the next!” ― Jules Verne_

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“I shall tell them,” Ludwig sighed and was content that he did not have to take care of anyone of the _guests_ , even if he wanted to observe them. The need to make certain that his brother’s and master’s safety would not be endangered by the hunters, was a thought that never left the tall blonde man. It was something that accompanied him as he left the main hall, while the others remained inside, contemplating over the cursed Prince’s words.

 

“So that means cooking for more persons. I mean lovely Ladies,” Francis bubbled, wearing a grand and sincere smile. A sign for the rest of the party that the cook was more than excited for the situation they were in.

“Yes . . .,” Arthur spoke, lifting an eyebrow. He was unsuren if he should reproach Francis or not.

The enchanted Prince was tempted but nonetheless he was glad that his servants seemed pleased with the situation. Although after Francis’ suggest of entering the women’s room to serve them food was something the Prince disliked. After all, Francis had the best skills in communicating with people and delighting them with his charm – something Arthur lacked of, and he certainly did not want his cook to ravish one of their female allies.

Arthur seated himself again, supporting his chin with his covered left hand. “You shall proceed in performing your duties.”

With that, Francis returned to the kitchen, still wearing a glorious grin on his face.

 

“Gilbert, I want our guests to feel comfortable. Please tell them that they will receive their individual rooms. If they think they are treated as prisoners, they will never fully cooperate,” Arthur spoke calmly, knowing well that the barmaid would still be a problem. The hunters on the other hand were familiar with alliances and working for money or their safety.

The addressed man blinked twice, “But what if they venture around in areas you don–“

“Magic will cloak it. They cannot break the spells I have cast.”

A little flabbergasted, Gilbert turned his head to his master’s brother and decided that he would leave them.

 

“I am glad.”

Upon hearing Alfred’s voice, Arthur quickly glanced at him, not fully comprehending what the youngest of them meant.

“Come again?”

“It was about time that your isolate soul comes in touch with other humans. And that you agree of giving yourself a chance.”

Alfred never uttered such wise and serious words, but in times like this he did share his opinion – time would change, and the young man was aware of that, just like his cursed brother.

“There may be a solution,” Arthur whispered, not daring to speak any louder. Normally he would have proclaimed that he was not _an isolated soul_ but the air was too sensitive to deny his feelings. The blue-eyed Prince had long seen through his older brother’s façade.

“I wish you would come home . . . but I know it will not be granted, so I am happy that you have made a choice,” Alfred confessed.

Arthur slowly stood up and walked to his brother, softly touching the sandy-blonde man’s shoulder. “Please forgive me for troubling you . . . I know I have worried everyone with my decision.”

A sad smile adorned Alfred’s face. “Will you ever consider returning and claiming the throne?”

The oldest Prince snorted loudly. “As if my people would accept me . . . I am a disgrace to the Royal family and the entire Kingdom.”

“But –”

“Look at me Alfred,” Arthur grumbled, pulling the hood off his head. “It is irreparable! The scales, scars and horns! It is for the best I remain here!”

Once again Alfred shook his head. “I believe they will see more than just your appearance . . . What good has this hiding done to you? You have become angrier and depressive. Until those Ladies have arrived,” – the beast wanted to protest, but Alfred lifted his hand to stop him – “And I think that is a sign; It is fate and guidance for you to finally take matters in your own hand!”

Both knew that it was true. And Alfred had successfully claimed his opinion, whilst his brother remained silent – although his brows were drawn dangerously together.

“Think about it. Especially if the assistance we are being given by the women can help us greatly. Including Miss Sakura.”

Wearing a stubborn expression, Arthur turned towards the throne.

“I know you like her . . . It is obvious.”

It remained silent after that disclosure, only the beast’s twitching eyes and flustered face confirmed Alfred’s words.

“And she does feel the same I can tell –”

Arthur turned around in a flash, “As if you knew about her feelings!” It was an expression of deep desperation. The enchanted man thought it not possible for Sakura to have a soft spot for him in her heart.

“I know! Who do you think persuaded the other two Ladies into accepting this deal?”

Arthur had never thought about it and it seemed more than possible that Sakura was the cause of this new alliance. Lien and Eliza had been a little wary of his deal – although Lien would do anything to safe her older sister.

“B-But . . .,” the green-eyed began. In order to calm himself, Arthur breathed slowly, filling the conversation with silence.  “You must be imagining things . . . She may have talked to them, because she cares for their safety.”

Alfred rolled his eyes before smirking at his sibling, changing the entire atmosphere of their conversation. “You will see brother . . . You just need to spend time together.”

That caused the concerned man to blush a deeper shade of red.

“Now that you have clarified that you will take care of her,” Alfred concluded, wearing a bright smile. With a wink, the youngest of them exited the room, leaving the cursed beast in a state of nervousness he had never believed to feel again.

“Bloody hell,” Arthur hissed, acknowledging the racing pulse that ran through his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: It’s a short chapter and I am sorry if it is shitty :’D Please forgive me for not updating earlier. I have two reasons: 1. I started watching the BBC Series “War and Peace” (I can only recommend it :) ) and 2. I was preparing my poster for a demonstration against TTIP and CETA which came in handy this morning. ]


	17. Chapter 17

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_“There is no instinct like that of the heart.” ― George Gordon Byron_

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“You mean to tell me that we are given a room,” Eliza spoke, glancing at her friends before focusing at Gilbert again, “for each of us?”

“Yes.”

“And we are allowed to walk through the mansion and to go on a walk in gardens, without being guarded?”

Once again the white-haired man nodded, having expected the flabbergasted reactions – even Ludwig, who had been in the room when his oldest brother had arrived, was at a loss for words.

“Mh,” Eliza expressed rather positively while the others were still uncertain of the new announcement. The youngest Beilschmidt sibling was eyeing his brother permanently to ascertain himself if the master had really uttered those words.

Still, he was glad to hear such things because Eliza had not accepted the fact that Gilbert would take care of her – or spy with her. Now the barmaid seemed at ease, when she had a part of her freedom, the most important thing to her.

“And when does our job begin?” Her green eyes flashed to Gilbert. It was an understatement to say that the woman had not been impressed by such news of working with the silver-haired man in order to protect an enchanted beast.

“As soon as we can”, Gilbert answered, a small smile gracing his face, “Of course we will need to prepare ourselves. And you have to tell your employer where you have been.”

“Ooh Right, so I will tell him that I was staying in an enchanted mansion?” She mentioned sarcastically, quietening the entire room.

“And if you say that he took you to a fancy place?” Lien suggested, “Or that he was introducing you to his parents because –”

“Oh God!” Eliza’s face was as red as Gilbert’s.

“She is not wrong in her strategy,” Ludwig proclaimed, looking at his brother. “You have to invent a story to excuse your absence of three days.”

At this, the barmaid glared at the tall blonde – it was not her fault that she had been stuck with them in the mansion.

“Fine!” She huffed loudly, “If I have no other choice.”

Even if those words were spoken in an annoying voice, Eliza could not prevent her cheeks colouring themselves. It was not only due to the obvious embarrassment of inventing a love story; but the mere fact that Gilbert did not once protest against it. Thinking of that, the scene in which he had apologised, replayed itself in her head. This caused the female to jump on her feet in order to be brought to her new room.

 

“Is she all right?” Lien asked her sister, who in response shrugged her shoulders. They did know each other for a few days, not a lifetime. But the thought that Gilbert was the reason of her odd behaviour did cross Sakura’s mind.

 

“So we are permitted to venture through the mansion?” The injured huntress inquired, making sure to have understood those words. Sakura thought that she would be watched, considering that she had attacked Ludwig, Gilbert and the cursed Prince himself. They had claimed that she was a ruthless assassin and now she was allowed to walk freely around as if nothing dangerous had occurred before.

“Indeed, the Master wishes so,” Ludwig answered to her; his brother had long brought Eliza to her private room – the blonde could not have prevented it, Gilbert was quick on his feet when the brunette barmaid was concerned.

The silence engulfed the three remaining persons in the room. “He had explicitly expressed that he hopes for a fair alliance and two of these aspects are trustful and friendly interactions.”

Instead of answering vocally, a small smile graced Sakura’s face – much to Ludwig’s astonishment, while Lien knew of her sister’s soft side. Even if she was a bounty huntress, Sakura respected those who stayed loyal to their words and ideas. The wounded woman had noticed the beast’s change in behaviour towards her and her friends. Although she had to admit that she found the cursed Prince’s nervous states (which were frequent in the latest of time) adorable; it was clear that he tried anything to make them feel comfortable, despite the situation.

“Then I must give him my thanks.”

Ludwig’s face was blank; Now this was the second action he had not expected of her. He had to admit to himself that the huntress had manners – excluding the attempt of killing her subjects during her job – and the way his master had reacted when Francis had wanted to take care of her, unsettled him. Could he trust her enough to let her near the cursed Prince?

“But he ordered you to stay here and rest,” Ludwig repeated his Master’s words.

Sakura nodded, feeling an exciting emotion in her stomach. It had been such a long time since a person had cared for her – expect for Yao, Lien and Eliza. The enchanted beast certainly did worry about her. Otherwise he would have removed the magical flow around her wounded leg, which was still very much intact.

“This will remain your room, and Miss Lien, I will –” Ludwig interrupted himself, “Expect if you wish to stay in the same room as your sister.”

Lien gave Sakura a questioning look but answered quickly that she wanted a room next to her sister. The tall blonde man nodded, explaining that this would be arranged before he left them.

 

“Do you think we will succeed?” Lien suddenly asked.

“I hope so . . . I know we have the capability of doing so,” Sakura answered, turning her head towards the window. “I never knew that the Kingdom of _Whitefort_ had so many problems.”

“Well, we knew nothing of it. Our job forced us to be focused on receiving missions and not on news of other Kingdoms that didn’t concern us.”

The oldest of them nodded, “Indeed. And I do hope for once we can save a cursed man, his people and his right to reign, instead of killing someone for money.”

It was the first time Sakura openly admitted that her occupation as a bounty hunter was not one that supported moral values. If the client wanted her to kill or arrest someone, they had to fulfil the task.

“As long as they don’t throw us in prison after our mission is complete,” Lien murmured with a neutral expression on her face.

Knitting her hands together, Sakura looked back at her proclaimed sibling.

“ _He_ promised to protect us if danger will come,” she reminded Lien; Both knew they were capable of fighting for themselves, but Arthur’s words were uttered in such a honest way that Sakura trusted him. She had seen his expression, the emotion his face wore when he had walked through in his gardens. The cursed beast _wanted_ to change its situation.

“I do hope . . . You never know how they will twist our words.” Lien’s eyes focused on the floor, as she too dwelled on her inner thoughts. “We did attack two Princes after all.”

Sakura’s intuition told her that she could believe the beast, but she was aware of her sister’s trust issues. As a bounty hunter, one distrusts anyone, a rule Sakura had always agreed with.

“They need us . . . We are their subjects for gaining their win,” her younger sister added, not knowing that none of the inhabitants of the mansion thought so – especially the bespectacled young Prince who would meet with her the following day.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I apologise for not posting earlier :) I had a small writer’s block and now I am so tired (it is past midnight after all :P)]


	18. Chapter 18

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_“Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley_

* * *

Despite Lien’s obvious thoughts of being used for the Princes’ sake, Alfred had a complete different opinion considering the matter. After he woke up, the man was quick to prepare himself for the meeting. He was singing while walking down the corridor of the manor.

“This is exciting,” the young Prince spoke to himself in a light-hearted way. It was not only the training that would cause him great pleasure, but the thought of befriending one of their new allies seemed to lighten his spirits. Alfred loved making new acquaintances, even if the occasion was rather extraordinary: Lien had threatened him with a knife days ago and the young Prince had to admit that it was brave of her. It fascinated him to come across a person like she was. Although his greatest hope of breaking the curse lay in the hands of Sakura; Alfred was certain that she could be the remedy for his brother’s curse. After the injured huntress’ arrival, the beast had shown several changes in his manners.

And supporting this development will be possible through befriending Lien – and he certainly did not disapprove this, for he felt excited for meeting her again.

 

* * *

 

Lien was not eagerly waiting for the young Prince to arrive. Even if they had officially engaged her and Sakura to work as hunters for them – it was rather a forced alliance and still Lien would rather help them than the enemies of the beast. Lien felt uncertain of having private training hours with the youngest Prince of the household. If it was his rank or his flattering smile that somehow had the ability to cause her cheeks to colour, Lien was not sure. Although she presumed that those two were the reason for it.

“He is the Prince,” she sighed to herself, reminding herself what her place was. The small huntress quickly thought of her older sister and her infatuation with the beast. For Lien, it was clear that Sakura’s view of the enchanted oldest heir of the _Whitefort_ Kingdom had changed. Her need for helping Arthur and the look of appreciation that had flashed in her eyes over the last days were evidence enough.

“We are subjects for their win pf their enemy . . . Even if they claim us to be their allies,” Lien added slowly. As a bounty hunter, she knew the task that awaited her, and the importance and worth of her job. She was executing orders for money and not trying to impress her clients with her character. The same passed for her sister, who had to be reminded of it again. Even if that would hurt her.

 

“Miss Lien!”

As prepared and used she was to being approached by any person that may be a threat to her, Lien still startled as Alfred arrived at the gates of the yard. And forgotten were her former words as well, because the blonde Prince’s smile was the most dominating feature on his face – along with his shining blue eyes and the dimples that danced on his cheeks.

How a man could be this positively happy of meeting someone, who had pressed a knife against his back, was a question Lien did ask herself.

“How are you?”

Now he stood in front of her, exchanging a question of her wellbeing – an action that unsettled her: not for feeling angry for his inquiries, but for the mere fact that he was sincerely interested in talking with her.

“I-I am fine,” she answered quickly, supressing a small blush that risked to rise on her cheeks. “Your Highness.”

With a waving hand, Alfred insisted to be called by his given name, now that they were considered allies, or as he worded it: Friends.

At first that notion was one she wanted to fulfil, but refusing a Prince’s wish was almost impossible. So, Lien found herself nodding silently.

“A nice day! I wish that our training will be extraordinary,” Alfred suddenly spoke, “Of course you will show me that move that you used on me” – at that Lien wore the expression of guilt as her eyes focused to the ground, before the Prince proceeded in his speaking. “And I will explain you the different tasks of the army and the Special operation team that works for my Kingdom. Of course it is a secretive organisation and I believe that you and your sister are well suited for this occupation.”

Alfred stopped in his talking, considering one small detail. “Although I think that Miss Sakura will not be engaged in that team . . . Arthur will probably prevent it.” The last part was muttered and still Lien could clearly hear the words. The man in front of her was not in the possession of a quiet voice – on the contrary, his voice was made for a commander on the battlefield.

Despite that clear statement, the small woman decided to not ask after that small notion the Prince had just uttered.

“So, I hope we will work finely together.”

“I hope so too, Sir,” Lien answered, earning a frown from Alfred for not addressing him as he had previously wished to.

 

Without wasting any time, both began their warm ups, before their sparring began. At first, Lien had been reluctant to attack the Prince, but after he had reassured her more than twice, their fight had intensified. For almost half an hour, both were hitting and blocking each’s punches, before a pause was declared on Alfred’s account.

The man was not exhausted from the workout but rather astonished from the petite woman’s skill in fighting. Not only had her fitness proved to be exquisite; the stubborn look in her eyes had convinced Alfred that she was a brave fighter – he secretly admitted that he admired that expression and smiled at her, not knowing how this expression affected the huntress.

“Your capability of fighting is surpassing those of my soldiers. And you are not holding back, not like most of my comrades in the army.”

“T-Thank you . . . Though your fighting skills are one of the best I have come across,” Lien replied, a little embarrassed by his compliment. She had the urge to respond with a similar sentence as he did. And it was the truth after all: his moves were fast and his hits were powerful. She had struggled at the end of their fight.

“Thank you.” Was the only comment she received from him, not realising that slight amusing look on the Prince’s face.

 

The second round was ended quicker than the first one, for both decided to talk about the system of the organisation. Of course it was not a completely new field for Lien to become acquainted with – as a bounty hunter she was used to the ruthless methods some of the special corps had to carry out. A Kingdom could never reign without having control over criminals or enemy spies and as Alfred told her that a lot of enemy spies had been engaged in their Kingdom, Lien thought it a very concerning piece of news. It indicated that the rumours of the oldest Prince being cursed, had been a topic in a lot of other countries.

“Our family has always been in the danger of being overthrown, but now the chance of it has increased,” Alfred admitted softly, his eyes focused on his hands that lay clasped on his lap. Both had seated themselves on a bench made of stone as the sandy-blonde man was speaking. The concern on his visage was mirroring the tone of his voice. Lien had noted that he was a person that spoke with his heart; his emotions could never be completely hidden, even if Alfred wished for it. His eyes were always betraying him – that clear blue that never seemed to remain calm.

And suddenly, the huntress understood her older sister’s decision of agreeing on the terms with the cursed beast, as her own feeling forced her to help Alfred. If it was due to pure empathy or the look on his face – she had never seen before – Lien was not certain. Unknown to her, both sisters shared the same cause of their decision.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Time for some Ameviet :D . I deeply apologise for the lack of updates, for I had only time to write one chapter of my other story. Currently I have some work to do for university and in addition to that, a massive writer’s block had prevented me from writing anything :O. ]


	19. Chapter 19

* * *

_“We forge the chains we wear in life.” ― Charles Dickens_

* * *

It was a rather reluctant task for Eliza walking down the grand stairs towards the entry of the mansion. Her backpack was filled with fundamental needs – including a few new clothes some of the servants had given her. She was not happy of the outcome of the entire situation but the barmaid reasoned that there had been no other opportunity. Being in the clutches of an enchanted beast that could cast every spells – except the one that would lift its curse – was an occurrence that did not leave room for discussion.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her eyes perceived the form of Gilbert at the door. Pretending to be his lover was something that she had never thoughts of happening. Not at times like these. And now both of them needed to spy in the village for the sake of discovering the culprit behind the wanted poster. When people would see Gilbert and her together, they will wonder how such a relationship could have happened.

“Are you ready?”

The question was asked with a small smile on Gilbert’s face and Eliza was certain that the man did not feel displeased by their adventure. Not at all.

“Yes,” she answered shortly, turning away from him as the gates opened. The wind blew softly and the sun was rising.

 

 

They walked silently next to each other. None of them had spoken aword; both were too caught up in their own thoughts. While Gilbert thought of apologising for his former actions – quarrelling with Eliza on purpose –, Eliza was too busy reflecting on the last few days. So many things had happened but the strangest for her was Sakura’s reaction. The way she had disclosed to them that the beast was miserable and needed their support. She had not worn any expression of pity in her eyes but the look of someone that wanted to help him. It was the change of emotions in her face that unsettled the barmaid. The huntress could not have fallen in love with the cursed Prince could she?

“Why has the Prince never used magic to find his enemies?” Eliza’s mouth suddenly opened; she had wondered before why Arthur had never thought of that possibility before.

Gilbert was a little surprised to hear such a question. Nonetheless he was glad to have finally a moment of talking to her. “If he did, then everyone would have found out. The forest is a topic of many conversations . . . Not to think of what would happen if people really suspect a magical beast to live there. They would come with torches and weapons.”

“But he could defeat them.”

Gilbert heaved a sigh, “And then they would know of his existence and find out about his ties to the royal family in _Whitefort._ That is exactly what his enemy wants; to overthrow his family.”

“Right,” Eliza murmured.

Silence dominated the atmosphere again and Gilbert decided to continue the conversation.

“E-Eliza, I know that the two of us have never been on good terms,” the silver-haired started, unsure of his words. He hated it that their talks seem to consist of apologies – especially on his part. But as her steps lessened until she came to a full stop, her green eyes were urging him to proceed in his explaining.

“I am sorry I have always insulted you” – at that, Eliza’s eyebrows shot in the air – “A-And that I have criticised you . . . B-but . . .”

By now the woman was glaring at him, her lips were pursed, “But what, Beilschmidt? What reasons did you have? You cannot tell me that the alcohol was deluding your senses, can you?”

“W-well . . .” How could he tell her that he had craved for her attention – knowing now that it was not the right way of doing it – or that he did not like the looks she was given by the male clients. At first he had considered her a rival: she had given him a piece of her mind after he had made a comment towards her. She was the first woman of having spoken back to him and left him with no chance of uttering another word to her. From then on he had made it his priority to challenge her. Of course she could defend herself and Gilbert had only realised what she meant to him when it was too late to rethink his actions. “I-I did not like the looks the men were throwing at you.”

Eliza’s face contorted, “Excuse me?”

Growing immensely self-conscious, he quickly changed the topic, “Just forget what I said . . . I just hope that you will accept my apology. Once again.”

With grand steps he paced forwards.

“B-But I don’t understand if that is the reason for your behaviour,” Eliza spoke after regaining her countenance: Gilbert could use that as an excuse.

A loud sigh escaped the man’s lips – he did not like to be questioned or to appear weak in any kind. “I know! And it is no reason but I could not prevent myself. I-I –”

He stopped his mouth from forming any other words. Confessing his feelings to her in the woods while they needed to play a couple in front of the others? This would not have a good outcome. And Gilbert admitted to himself that he was afraid of being rejected if he would make another allusion of _why_ he had behaved as he did.

His racing heart did not pause as she stared at him with annoying eyes.

“We are almost there,” Gilbert assured as he saw the small houses of the village. It would be at least one hour before they would arrive.

“I accept your apology,” the voice behind suddenly blurted loudly, causing Gilbert to whirl around with widened eyes.

“W-what?” he whispered.

Eliza’s expression was rather grumpy than relieved, “I don’t think it is clever to be angry with you when we have to be together for that mission.”

“T-Thank you,” the man smiled at her – a great burden had fallen from his shoulder. “So we can be friends?”

Only seconds ago he wore an uncertain look that was now replaced by a confident one – one Eliza was too familiar with. “Acquainted,” she stated; her heart skipped a small beat after seeing his smile but she ignored it. Months ago he had not tried to be on her good side and now he was speaking of apologies and that he did not like the looks men were giving her. She thought it weird that the idea of him being jealous entered her mind.

“I can work with that.” The answer she received from the man was uttered charmingly. _His complete demeanour has changed_ , Eliza reflected, resuming that if he did dwell too much of his confidence, she would hold him back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Okay at least today I updated on time :’D.]


	20. Chapter 20

 

* * *

 

_“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” ― William Wordsworth_

* * *

 

Sakura watched the gardens from her window. Eliza and Lien were engaged in their tasks for the enchanted Prince, while Sakura remained in her room. The only order she had received was to rest her foot and stay safe. She was certain that her once injured limp was healed but the magical strings had not ceased from her leg. Even if it had accompanied her for some days, the huntress wanted to move around freely – she was uncertain if the magical flow could locate her but she had the odd feeling that the beast could feel her presence everywhere.

Staying in the room was not something she wanted to do every day. Needless to say that Sakura was growing lonely. She was used to be on her own for some time but the mansion’s aura was casting a lonely feeling on her. Thinking back to the day where Arthur had openly told them of their curse, Sakura mused about all the years he must have spent hidden here.

“Ten years,” she repeated his words before opening the window in her chamber. The weather was lovely and invited her to take a stroll in the rose gardens – this piece of nature had caught her attention since she had arrived at the mansion. She understood the master’s weakness for roses; they bloomed beautifully and created a positive aura.

 

The huntress walked past the several doors in the building to reach the grand staircase near the main entrance. Only as she stepped outside, did Sakura feel small prickles that run up her leg. The woman did not need to look closely at it, for she knew exactly that the magic encircling her former injured foot was glowing differently.

Her feet stopped and her hand softly stretched above the magical strings, uncertain of what could happen.

“Where are you going?”

The voice behind her startled her immensely and she jumped aside whirling around quickly, only to stare at the master of the house whose face was veiled with his hood. Even if he was aware that Sakura had already seen his visage, Arthur made sure to not show it again.

“The weather felt nice . . . I wanted to walk through the gardens,” the huntress answered sincerely. Arthur remained silent, before nodding. “I will accompany you.”

There was no need to decline his offer but Sakura had the odd feeling that he had been staring at her leg – he probably thought that her foot had not healed yet.

 

Both walked in utter silence, although the huntress was aware of the looks he threw at her every ten seconds.

“Can you locate me?” She suddenly spoke the question that had lingered on her mind since she had received that magical treatment. To underline her point, Sakura motioned towards her foot that was still brightened by the glowing flow.

“Y-Yes,” Arthur finally replied after thinking if he should tell her. It was the only mention he would utter; even if he could feel through his magic that Sakura had felt lonely. For him it was surprising to found himself caring if she was comfortable in his home; denying that he wanted her as happy as possible in his presence.

“I was wondering if you could remove the magic from it . . . The wound is healed.”

Now that small request was a little difficult to accept; Arthur’s only connection to her was through this and now he needed to consider her wish – of course he did not want to upset her in any kind but he felt uncomfortable doing it. For his own sake.

With one quick move of his bandaged hand, Sakura’s leg was freed from the glowing strings. Although she could tell that the master of the mansion was not being enthusiastic in his intention.

“I know you don’t trust me –”

The Prince quickly interrupted her, “I do trust you.”

“But why would you let the magic stay on my limb, even if it has already healed?” The question was more difficult to answer, nonetheless the beast murmured its reason. “I was worried.” Before Arthur could reconsider his spoken words, he stopped dead in his tracks, a cold shiver went down his spine: He had _admitted_ that he worried about her. Loud and in front of her.

 

“O-Oh.” Sakura was staring at him with widened eyes before a small smile graced her face. “Thank you . . . I know it isn’t easy to trust a bounty hunter, so I thought you . . .”

“Would spy on you?” Arthur completed the sentence with a neutral look on his face – which Sakura could not see under his hood.

She nodded and the Prince waited to answer her, “I did not trust you when you broke into the mansion. Now it is another situation, considering that we forged an alliance.”

“I understand.”

The silence felt a little awkward as both walked side by side through the gardens. It was still very uncommon for Sakura to be in the presence of a Prince, who had threatened to kill her only a week before. How quick such things could change.

 

As small clouds created a dark veil around the mansion, the two were faced with raindrops that crashed rather forcefully to the ground.

“Quick,” the cursed beast muttered, pulling Sakura back to the mansion. The entrance was warmer than the cold wind that had picked up as the cloudy sky appeared.

“The weather seems to change quite often in such a short time,” the huntress commented, looking down at her wet clothes.

The Prince snorted and turned away from her; he seemed a little annoyed by her comment, “Wherever I go there is always rain . . . I wonder why.”

A small chuckle escaped the petite woman’s lips, causing Arthur to turn back to her with raised eyebrows. Even if his face was still hidden from her, Sakura could tell that he wore a confusing expression.

“I don’t think the rain is obsessed with you.” The huntress suppressed a laugh as she created the image of the beast being followed by rain in her head. She knew that the Prince was one of a kind and this topic of conversation amused her.

“Really? But it is cold and interrupts my walk whenever I venture the gardens . . . I don’t know a person that likes such weather.”

Sakura was astonished by his expression and smiled. “I do like it in a way . . . It shows us how powerful nature is; it brings life and is freshening. Your roses would not survive without water . . . and the forest would be grey without it. It is the essence of true beauty.”

She had no idea how her words affected the man in front of her; for he had never had such a conversation with a woman before. Before his curse, the female attendants at the royal court where superficial and spoke of fashion, rumours and food. Not to mention the gossip that was their favourite theme of conversation.

But the huntress had a complete different approach of conversation and it was all due to her experience in life. From childhood on she had to survive, rely on herself or her sister. She had witness things none of the rich Ladies had, so of course her view on life differed from others.

“H-Have I said something wrong?” the words suddenly rang in Arthur’s head as he was thrown back to the scene in front of him. Sakura watched him carefully.

“N-no! You did not, I-I was a little caught in my thoughts,” he resumed, feeling embarrassed to admit it. A sudden thought entered his mind.

“Do you want to see the library?”

The petite woman nodded and the beast was glad to have found another topic they could talk about.


	21. Chapter 21

* * *

_“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”” ― Confucius_

* * *

Bright violet eyes stared at Eliza as she arrived at the tavern. After having endured her _journey_ with Gilbert for hours, she had finally reached the bar and knew that her employer would wait inside. It did not take a minute for him to glimpse at the barmaid. With long strides he marched towards but stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed her company.

“And you?”

The voice was low and did not correspond with the smile on the tall man’s face.

“This, Mr Braginsky, is _m-my_ . . .” The blush that crept up her face could definitely not be supressed. With a quick glance towards the red-eyed man, she finished her sentence, “Mr Gilbert Beilschmidt.”

“ _Your_ Gilbert Beilschmidt?” The tall man repeated her words with a raised eyebrow, although his light smile never disappeared. He knew the red-eyed man but only from sight. Never had Eliza mentioned the troublemaker’s name. And if he was the reason for her not having participated in her daily job, then the silvery-haired man would have a problem.

“Y-Yes.”

Silence took over and Eliza feared that Ivan Braginsky would throw her out of the tavern: after all, he had witnessed her and Gilbert’s fights and endless discussions. And now she had to convince her employer that they were courting.

She expected everything from Ivan but not that bright smile that suddenly spread over his face. His expression was mostly unreadable; just not now. It was a sincere smile.

“I knew that you belonged together.”

Every fibre of Eliza’s body tensed up and she needed great control to not make a comment – it was one thing to speak her mind in front of Gilbert but claiming her opinion in front of her boss was another thing. Even if Ivan Braginsky wore a smile, his stature and being were intimidating her; so she decided to remain calm.

“T-Thank you,” a voice behind her sounded.

Gilbert did not approve the barmaid’s employer - the tall man’s aura was far too dangerous for Gilbert’s taste. He knew Ivan Braginsky – and one could ask people from around the Kingdom: everyone knew and feared him.

The eye contact was not interrupted and Mr Braginsky mustered the smaller man with a curious expression. “Beilschmidt you say?”

Slowly Gilbert nodded, not knowing what the question indicated. Even Eliza struggled to keep calm between the two men. Her boss had never once shouted or behaved abusive towards the barmaid but she was not sure what he would do to Gilbert – especially with those intense staring Ivan was currently doing.

“But . . . Aren’t you familiar with Miss Edelstein?”

Now that was a question the pale man had not expected.

“Miss Edelstein?” Elizabeta repeated her boss’ words, uncertain of the context. Seconds passed until the name rang a bell. Miss Sophia Edelstein, an accomplished young and beautiful woman – and apparently an acquaintance of Gilbert Beilschmidt. He had once mentioned the name of a sophisticated woman, claimed that she was his childhood friend, despite their different ranks in society. Within a moment she turned towards her _lover_ regarding him with a look that was certainly not a positive one. Their relationship was pretence and still Eliza could not shake off that nagging feeling in her stomach.

 

The two intense pairs of eyes that were focussed on him were unsettling Gilbert more than he liked to admit. Especially those of Eliza.

“S-She is kind of a friend of mine, yes.”

“I thought you were courting her.” The tall man titled his head in an innocent manner, even if the atmosphere’s tenseness increased minute by minute.

Eliza was not sure how to read her employer’s face – was he angry that Gilbert was now _courting_ her or the idea that the white-haired man was a heart breaker. The question of how he knew Miss Edelstein entered Eliza’s mind.

“N-No, dear God no,” Gilbert quickly defended himself from the reproaches, “She is too plain.” He thought that this answer would satisfy the big man; unbeknownst to him, it was quite the contrary.

“Plain, you say?” Mr Braginsky’s body seemed taller than before; just like his broad shoulders.

“W-Well I like Eliza, s-so . . .”

Realisation dawned on the barmaid as the two men discussed the topic of women. It was not the fact that poor Sophia would court someone like Gilbert while he would have fun with Eliza; it was her boss’ reaction that explained everything to her.

“What he wants to say,” the brunette quickly interrupted, “That Miss Sophia does not spend her time with the likes of Gilbert –” At this she quickly nudged the white-haired man, who wanted to protest at her statement.

As quick as the tenseness rose, it disappeared just as quick after Elizabeta’s spoken words.

“Is that so?” Ivan suddenly asked, relaxing a little; His eyes wore a vulnerable expression.

The smaller party nodded, a little lost at words after witnessing this reaction.

“I thought you were misbehaving towards Miss Edelstein and she does not deserve bad treatment.”

A silver brow lifted itself on Gilbert’s face, “H-How do you even know her? She is not living in this part of the country.”

The bright smile that spread across the tall man’s face was undeniable happy. “You think that I have never seen her before?”

“N-No . . . I mean you are working here and she–”Gilbert stopped in the middle of the sentence.

“It was years ago,” Ivan spoke with a nostalgic air around him, “I was ordered to deliver drinks to the family for an event, before this tavern existed . . .,” He continued speaking, sighing every now and then as he was lost in his thoughts.

In a split of a second Gilbert eyed Eliza, who in return pinched the bridge of her nose while her lips formed themselves into a grin. It was an action that definitely told Gilbert what was happening: The tall and fearful man in front of them admired Sophia – a soft-spoken, intelligent woman of aristocracy.

Silence claimed the air around them and Ivan returned to the bar; he was too lost in his thoughts to glance back at them. “As long as you don’t make any trouble, you can stay here.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: After a break of two months, I can finally update. I had absolutely no time due to university and life; so I apologise for updating this late. Thank you for being patient with me, though I am not quite certain if I can already update next week.]


	22. Chapter 22

 

* * *

 

_“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka_

* * *

Sweat drops ran down Lien’s face, as she blocked Alfred’s arm. It was another session of their training; a day had passed since their first training but the two of them had to admit that they worked very well together. Not only had the physically exercise been part of the plan to include Lien in the special forces of _Whitefort_ , Alfred also made sure to explain the most important details to her.

“Nicely done,” commented the Prince, complimenting her for the umpteenth time. And once again it caused the young female to blush – she was not used to receive such words, especially from a Prince. Nonetheless, Lien quickly dismissed the thought and nodded. “Thank you.”

“I am glad you accepted the deal.” The sudden mention of that topic startled the young bounty huntress.

“My sister took the final decision . . .,” she answered. The man next to her let out a sigh before watching her with a concerned look on his face.

“You must have been worried about Sakura,” he spoke and continued after a few seconds, “Siblings are never easy . . . We love them and worry whenever we fear that something badly will happen.” A small laugh escaped his lips as he remembered something. “Even if Arthur if my older brother, I cannot worry enough about him. Not only with the curse that has influenced him for all these years.”

Lien shook her head. “My sister and I have always protected ourselves. During our missions we would not dare to let anyone hurt us.”

An expression of sorrow dominated the Prince’s visage. “I wish I would have protected him from that curse.” Once again he sighed – this action changed the atmosphere of their conversation.

“And now I must protect him from the people of the town and the ones that want to hurt him.”

The blue in his eyes became sadder and Lien felt that she needed to assure him.

“We will,” she said sincerely, causing the tall man next to her to take her hand lightly in his. It was a gesture of appreciation – although it accelerated Lien’s pulse more than she expected to.

“At least he has now something to protect to, apart from me.” Alfred smiled and his eyes were dancing as he stared at the confused woman. She did not give any sign of understanding his words.

“You know, I think he has a weakness for your sister.”

At that, Lien raised a brow. “Are you sure?”

Alfred threw her a blinking gaze.

“I-I mean,” she stammered, trying to explain her point of view, “People of your rank . . . Not that I am judging anyone. But she –” She stopped, seeing the man’s amused expression.

“Is a huntress that succeeded in threatening him?” Alfred finished, before smiling. “Of course that must have been something that astonished him. She does not fear him and that must have caused him to grow attached to her . . . She seems to have triggered something inside of him.”

Silence took over and Alfred decided to proceed in his speaking: “You know the curse has changed him. He has isolated himself, hating himself to a point where he had almost completely given up . . .”

It was not an easy topic for the Prince and Lien noticed his stiffen demeanour – even if his lips where curled in a light smile, it was easy to detect an uncertainness and pain behind his expression. For the few days she had come to know him, Lien was confronted with a rather uncommon side of her training partner.

“I just hope we will catch those who plan to attack him . . .”

 

* * *

 

To declare that Sakura was surprised upon seeing the library was an understatement. The huntress had thought of the room to be grand, but she needed to reconsider it again after the tall wooden door was opened to give her access to the bibliotheca. A small gasp escaped her lips and her eyes ventured across the thousand shelves that confronted her eyes. Never before had she laid eyes on such magnificent books – she slowly stepped towards the first book that caught her attention.

Arthur on the other hand remained silent; he seemed a little amused by watching her. Even if she did not utter a word, her actions told him how she admired the library. The glinting of wonder in her eyes, and the small smile she wore. The fascination grew by every second; the more she discovered, the more her face showed the light-hearted emotion that made the cursed Prince’s heart flutter.

“I-if you want,” he suddenly spoke, “you can chose a book.”

Sakura stopped in her tracks and turned slowly around – her eyes caught the titles of the book spines while she moved: most of the books were old classical works. “I thank you . . . b-but –” She ceased to speak any further, the words dying on her tongue as she grew extremely uncertain of the information she wanted to give him. The heat returned to her face and she averted her dark set of eyes back to the shelf.

“But?” the enchanted man’s voice sounded, this time louder than before, for Arthur had walked next to her – the look on her face had unsettled him and he could not decipher the exact reason for her words. Did she not want to appreciate his offer? Did she doubt his generosity?

“There . . . w-well . . .”

It was a new picture that formed itself in front of the Prince: the brave huntress that appeared to be extremely shy – and the sudden realisation caused Arthur to almost cringe at his own words. “You cannot read?”

A small and nervous sighed escaped the woman’s lips. “I-I do know how to, but . . .” She pointed towards Ovid’s _Metamorphosis._

“It’s too difficult for you,” Arthur whispered and reddened quickly afterwards; The huntress only nodded. She herself did not know why she felt embarrassed – of course she had never had the chance to read such literature, especially in another language, she had always been occupied with surviving. The black-haired was not an accomplished Lady. The quality she had was to hunt, to fight and to have a marvellous instinct. She did not need to justify her poor reading skills – it was enough to be able to read letters from her sisters and other trivial things. And still the woman stiffened under the cursed Prince’s eyes.

“It is a very beautiful room,” she commented, looking towards the stucco ceiling.

“Beauty is relative.” The sound of Arthur’s voice was suddenly changed. The content of his words left room for a lot of questions and Sakura felt as if it was an allusion.

“Indeed,” the huntress whispered, turning towards her host who did not dare to look at her.

Suddenly the air around him changed again – it became darker.

“It something– Did I say something that wronged you?” Sakura asked; uncertainty readable in her face.

“No . . . Only that I regret.” With those words, the beast turned around and walked out of the room, leaving the huntress with the thoughts of what could have befallen him in that moment to mutter such a sentence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I am extremely sorry for the lack of updates. Of course I make my life more complicated in having to update 2 different stories :’D ; hopefully I will be able to finish this story before the new year begins :’D. Thank you for being patient.]


	23. Chapter 23

_“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche_

* * *

Arthur was certain that the huntress had not quite understood his words – or his depart from the room. It had been a lovely day and bringing her into the library was somehow calming him down. He was showing her a part of himself: a sanctuary of books that had accompanied him all these years (apart from his brother and servants).

Another reason to enter the bibliotheca with her was his urge to deepen his superficial relationship with her. Despite himself of holding everyone on arm’s length, the cursed Prince wanted to become closer to Sakura. He had not considered his action until she had uttered that one word that somehow always caused him to cringe. _Beautiful_ , she had said. Even if these letters were not cast at him, the Prince felt triggered . . . triggered by his past. The curse had reminded him of his place, which – in his eyes – was definitely not beside the huntress. He had developed feelings for her; at first it was an inexplicable situation for him and he was aware of the fact that he could never express them to her.

“Bloody hell!” he cursed under his breath, not stopping in his tracks as he came near the gates that leaded into the rose gardens; the enchanted Princes wanted to stroll through the rose gardens in order to calm himself. He was prevented from doing so when his eyes suddenly caught the form of his brother.

 

Knowing his brother all his life, Alfred knew that the cursed Prince was troubled.

“Arthur!” he called, standing up from his spot next to Lien with the intention of walking towards him – the huntress, who watched the scene with interested eyes, followed Alfred.

“Alfred.” The tone mirrored the emotions in Arthur’s voice, causing the younger Prince to frown upon his brother. “Where is your companion?”

The question was left unanswered and Alfred gave his older brother a sign – one Arthur knew too well: Alfred wanted to talk to him in private.

Lien, noting the tension, decided to look for her sister, who suddenly appeared not far from Arthur.

 

* * *

 

After the cursed Prince had left the library, Sakura was desperately trying to uncover his reasons for having walked out of the room in that brusque manner. It did not occur to her that the man had difficulties in sorting his feelings – especially if she was concerned. It had been fairly complicated for her to tell him of her disabilities of reading grand pieces of world literature in their original language; It was her that had felt vulnerable at that time. That this changed minutes later had been unpredictable.

When Arthur had exited the room, Sakura had remained still for a few seconds before changing her mind and following him to the gardens where he approached his brother – his long strides had given her no chance to catch up with him but when she arrived at the scene, the huntress noticed Lien’s expression. It told her more than a thousand words.

“Lien,” Sakura exclaimed softly, startling the two royal brothers.

“Sakura,” the youngest of them replied, glancing at Alfred before Sakura continued in her speech: “I feel a little tired. Would you like to accompany me back to the chamber?”

This was met with a small nod. Sakura casted a quick look at Arthur but received neither non-verbal nor verbal answer from him as she turned around disappointedly and imitated her sister’s steps.

As the female party entered the castle, Alfred left no time in discussing his brother’s mood swings.

“What happened? What put you off?”

The cursed man grumbled incoherently and received a questioning look from Alfred.

“Negative thoughts? Apparently your female companion seemed distressed. Did you say something bluntly? Or did your emotions control you once again?”

“N-Nothing of that sort,” Arthur murmured, not wanting to disclose his worries that now seemed not as grave as they had appeared moments ago. He knew that he had acted on impulse in the library – The sparkle in Sakura’s eyes when she was looking over the books had taken him instantly. It was adorable to have seen her in such a state and the sudden (and for Arthur random) thought that he wished for her to look at him with the same expression, had taken over his mind. With it came the conclusion that she would never cast a second look at him.

“Self-conscious?” The bespectacled Prince asked rhetorically, for he was fully aware of the response; his brother did not like to show his uncertainness but it was clear the way his body reacted. His shoulders were sagged and his tone was strained with unsettledness.

“I know this is not easy for you but I know that you grow nervous in _her_ presence _._ ” Alfred did not need to mention the name of the huntress; the emphasising had enough effect to cause his sibling’s body to stiffen.

“She has seen me days ago . . . She knows how I look.” The voice in which he spoke was hollow but quickly changed into a raging tone as he continued: “That bloody curse . . . If it had not been for it!”

“But she is fond of you. Her sister agrees with me; I don’t think the huntress would have remained here if she had felt repulsed by your appearance.”

“I threatened them.”

Alfred grinned. “And still she was the one that had decided to remain here. She wanted to offer her help.”

With blinking eyes Arthur watched his younger sibling. “You cannot be serious . . . I could never have such a lovely effect on her.” His hidden face was scarlet and he added, “I-I mean I would not m-mind if she– B-but we are not talking of this!” He silenced quickly, not wanting to talk of his wish to have his feelings somehow returned.

“If there is a possibility to break the curse, we will find it. And she will gladly help in doing so.”

With those words, both changed the topic. Alfred tried to divert the enchanted Prince’s attention; unbeknownst to the two, the discovery of the cure and the villain were not as far from them as they thought.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I apologise for the irregular updates; I will try to update at least once in a month (although I really wanted to keep the past update-day). I have written the plot of the story and I really want to finish it, but I don’t want to rush to the end or whatsoever. Thank you for being patient with me :) ]


	24. Chapter 24

_“If some things don't make you lose your sense of reason, then you have none to lose.” ― Gotthold Ephraim Lessing_

* * *

The task of spying people in the bar was not an easy one – between all the drunken guests, stressful service and enduring a certain silver-haired man for most of the time, Eliza had become quite tired.

Whenever she was ordered to bring the guests their drinks, Gilbert would often make impolite comments. Of course it was due to the manner of how the brunette was spoken too by the guests. The manly visitors would gaze at her in a most ungentlemanly way, which made Gilbert’s blood boil. He was standing behind the bar and glared at the culprits – only this was complicated and had several consequences: one of them being Eliza snarling at the white-haired man to stop with this activity. The other would trigger a violent fight, because the drunkards in the bar would feel provoked by such looks of a man who was full of himself.

Indeed, it was an understatement to describe this situation as an easy one.

Eliza was glad for the presence of her tall boss who would not waste a minute of confronting one of the alcoholic guests. Normally, everyone accepted Ivan’s rules and no one dared to cause him any trouble. Since that famous incident years ago: a popular hunter had decided to chant a song of his achievements and going so far to dance upon the tables. It had been utter chaos and despite Ivan’s warnings of not soiling the tables – where people were eating their food –, he had completely lost control and the tavern had merged into a ridiculous theatre. Ivan, not in the mood of being mocked, had quickly reacted; the hunter was thrown out and had no permission to enter the bar again. No one has dared to break that rule again.

The barmaid was thankful for the tall man’s behaviour – even if he seemed a little frightening – and it caused her to confine in him. After the first evening of their mission, Ivan had once again asked about Miss Edelstein and Eliza felt obliged to tell her boss of her disappearance all those days ago. Gilbert did not know of this but she had the small notion that Ivan could be a help in their task. “So, you have come to spy,” Ivan had said after some minutes of silence after she had told him of her “adventure”. That there was supposed to be an enchanted Prince in the woods had shocked him mostly and Eliza fathomed that her boss was a little superstitious – whenever she mentioned enchantments or curses, he changed his demeanour. The violet eyes had focussed on her once again. “So you are carrying out a mission for a beast in order to break his curse? I always thought that a kiss could break it.”

“But this is not a fairy tale,” she had replied, becoming insecure in persuading her boss in helping them. “If it is someone who targets Royalty, then everyone could be a victim . . . even Miss Edelstein.” Eliza knew that this had been quite a risky game to play, to speak of the woman her boss seemed to be smitten with. But in the end it had been the right choice: Ivan Braginsky would confront every guest that was acting suspiciously. He would firstly speak to him in a tone that did not suggest friendliness, causing most to be frightened and then would not stop in doing so, before they would utter the truth.

Gilbert had only known of her disclosure a few hours ago; with a shake of his head and a mischievous grin plastered on his face, he answered her: “I did not know you would ask him for help. And still I am amazed by how you did it.” The smile had vanished quickly afterwards. “If that means that I have to p-present him to her.” It was clear that he too held the greatest respect for the bartender but how his childhood friend would react to see such a man on her doorsteps was a question he did not want to answer.

Both companions have grown quite accustomed to the situation – although the jealous tantrums of Gilbert were still very much present, even if Eliza could calm him down. At first, it annoyed her only to realise afterwards that this man indeed held some feelings for her, which made her feel embarrassed by his attention. The woman thought of her own emotions she held in her heart and was unsure of them – it would not be wise to say anything on the matter before this entire mission was accomplished.

Two days had passed since their first arriving and no extraordinary occurrence had happened, expect for every guest’s asking of the couple being in a relationship.

It was not until the evening of the full moon when Gilbert got suddenly struck by the view of a certain man with dark curls. He could never forget the lazy smile this man had plastered on his face – that a criminal could smile so charming. As elegant as his entrance into the tavern was, Gilbert threw himself behind the bar to avoid being recognised by the new guest. Eliza, who was used to such behaviour did not show any sign of surprise. Only when the silver-haired man tugged at the hem of her dress, did she notice that something had happened to unsettle him.

“What is it?” she whispered, turning lightly towards him, staring down at his widened red eyes.

Gilbert tilted his head in the direction of the new guest – unfortunately for him, he was sitting on the floor and almost bumping his head into a row of bottles. He would be happy the he could exit this bar when they would catch the criminal and his group. It was not his most favourite entourage (only when he was the one being served) and he would definitely take Eliza out of this house of drunken men.

“The charming one?” she asked, receiving a nod from Gilbert. Her green eyes wandered towards the brunette man, who leaned himself over the table to speak to a group of females.

“Karpusi is his name,” muttered Gilbert.

“Oh, well he sometimes visits the bar; did you have a quarrel with–” she interrupted herself by proceeding: “For God’s Sake, Gil, could you stop that pulling and get back here to serve them!”

“He is the very man.” Was the sudden answer and the brunette barmaid did not need to ask further – it was a trace of the culprit who was responsible for the curse.

“Then we will take care of him,” a sudden voice spoke behind them – it was Ivan, and he not wearing a calm expression.

* * *

Arthur was avoiding her.

His eyes wandered to the window of his private room, observing the wild roses that surrounded the castle. Some of his servants were tending to the gardens. The green eyes focussed back on the book before him: Dante’s _The Divine Comedy_. He thought it ironical that it was this work he had chosen to read.

“This could be the title of my life,” he murmured with a frown. For ten minutes he had read the same sentence without thinking much about it, for his mind was dwelling on a certain petite huntress. After that scene in the library, he had clearly avoided her. He wanted to express himself and feared the outcome. For who could love a beast?

A knock sounded through the room and Arthur was glad for the interruption.

“Come in.”

Thinking it was a servant that entered his chamber the cursed Prince did not turn around and remained in his position.

“Arthur!”

At the sound of his brother’s voice, the called man stood from his chair and looked at him – Alfred’s tone was urgent, the emotions written all over his face as the younger brother stretched his arm towards Arthur to give him a letter. “They have Karpusi.”

It was all that needed to be said . . . Arthur’s hands clenched, and his fingers released a small amount of magic. “Go on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: The “hunter sings on the table in a tavern”-scene is clearly inspired from Gaston :P and Aph Russia being superstitious (I read that it is a stereotype for Russians) when it comes to magic and enchantment, so I added that trait :P. Once again thank you for being patient with me and for all the feedback I received :D]


	25. Chapter 25

* * *

_““The search for truth is more precious than its possession.” ― Gotthold Ephraim Lessing”_

* * *

“He had one job,” mumbled Sadik before his fist hit the table and his voice rose dramatically. “Karpusi had but one damn job.”

Indeed, the news of their friend being captured by the owner of a bar was not one that caused the tall dark-haired man to celebrate. Even if their relation was not on friendly terms, they still had to work together for the sake of their mission – and for their group. The man was currently waiting for the head of the party to arrive.

“Who would have thought a barmaid and her employer would be our enemies?” a female voice interrupted the ranting man. She sat on the same table as he and was a little unnerved by his outburst – she had to save her cup of coffee due to his outburst in form of hitting the table. Her older twin sister next to her pursed her lips, not happy with the outcome of the recent mission.

“Yes, Alice! Braginsky it is. I would have wished for another enemy than him.”

The woman’s light brown curls were elegantly arranged on top of her head, although some strands of hair fell out and framed her face, as she shook her head. “You do realise that he is the least of our problems? The Wang sisters work for the target.”

No opportunity was left for Sadik to form a respond as another entered the room: The smirk on Antonio’s face did not express approval. Even if the light in the room gave not the full view of his stature, it was still readable for the present people in the chamber. He had already been informed by the situation.

“Finally,” Chiara muttered next to her sister. She was one of the few that dared to speak in such manners in front of the leader. After all, he had taken the twin sisters under his care. They considered themselves family – a rather criminal one, but they had not much choice giving the circumstances.

“It seems that they know who is targeting them.” He walked towards his chair, settling down with a sigh. His dark curls brushed his forehead; his left hand supported his chin as he spoke: “Well, I had not noticed that they had engaged spies and bounty hunters during the last week.”

Sadik, not feeling unwelcomed by this sentence to offer his own opinion spoke: “Karpusi should have known better than to walk in a bar . . . What an imbecile.”

The head of the group held up a hand. “Sadik, he is not to blame. We were targeting the Prince for years . . . Maybe it is time for us to make the final move.”

At the mention of the last sentence, Alice stood from her chair. “You do realise that the bounty hunters are the famous Wang sisters.” Despite her stance, Alice’s light brown eyes sparkled – she loved challenges when she was provoked.

“Of course I noticed, my dear. I never thought the tables would turn as we have twice hired them for our jobs. Their abilities are special . . .”

Sadik snorted. “Wait until Braginsky demonstrates his ability.” His comment did not evolve about the concerned problem and Antonio regarded him with blinking eyes. The proud tall man was not content with the ally of the cursed Prince. He must have had already met the owner of the bar.

“There is no meaning in waiting, Sadik,” Antonio replied with raised eyebrows.

“Why did Karpusi even went there?”

Alice shook her head. “For placing the poster there. Maybe he wanted to ascertain that people would gather together.”

“I know his way of gathering while sleeping in the corner,” Sadik retorted bitterly, this face expressed disapproval of his former colleague’s actions. He mumbled something of Braginsky again and Chiara rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms, giving her sister a look. Sadik seemed almost traumatised by the tall fair-headed man. Antonio wore a small smile, finding the situation comical but seconds later a serious look once again adorned his face. “But did it not fulfil the cause? I am sure the bounty huntress had seen the poster in the tavern and before taking matters in her own hand –”

“And then she was caught and probably forced into joining their little group,” concluded Alice.

“No,” the head of the group spoke, “she would be too proud to let herself force into their army. Something must have occurred.”

“An enchantment?” the sisters said in unison. Now Sadik changed the topic from Braginsky to Sakura – another traumatised memory: as she had worked with them, he had developed a fondness for the petite huntress. His effort in wooing her had not been successful and hearing that the beast could have used magic on her to fight on his side, definitely angered him. Had Karpusi been here, he would have had agreed with him. Even if those two were rivals concerning the huntress and their missions, he missed having him present while speaking of the magical danger that faced Sakura.

Chiara supported her forehead with one hand, thinking that this was definitely too much to endure. “Foolish,” she grunted, while her twin sister wore a smile: she did not disapprove the man’s matter of hearts.

The door reopened and Antonio was glad for the intrusion, he wanted a serious conference and not an escalated conversation about Braginsky or Sadik’s rivalry with Karpusi.

“You have come with good news I hope, Salvador.”

The concerned man wore a relaxed smile, laying a hand on his shoulder. “My friend, we have managed to gather some people, willing to fight against the beast.” His smile widened at Antonio’s relieved sigh.

“See, he knows how to gather people,” Sadik murmured and Antonio internally claimed that they first needed to save Karpusi in order to stop Sadik’s ramblings.

“Then we have to take action, for the Prince surely knows what we have planned.”

Chiara cursed under her breath but nodded, her sister mirrored her move, while Sadik stood from his chair, eager to fight.

“We will hide no more.” With those words, Antonio left the room. It was finally time to stand face to face with the Prince.

* * *

 

Sakura and her sister were summoned to the great hall. Less than five minutes did they need to enter the grand room, where the Prince sat on his royal chair, his brother next to him in his military attire. Ludwig stood on the other side, his face set in a stern expression.

The atmosphere was tense and Sakura noticed the small letter in the beast’s hand – his face was hidden by that same hood. She longed to see his face, for knowing what he thought. Was he frightened? Angry? For some time she wished to look in these emerald eyes that reflected his soul. But now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

The only person, whose face was not marred by seriousness, was Alfred. The smile he wore was as friendly as ever, quite different from his introverted brother.

“We’ve got news,” the enchanted Prince spoke, standing up and walking slowly towards the sisters. “We officially know who targets me.”

Sakura remained calm but urged to be told of it. Her hands clenched and she was released of her impatience as Arthur continued. “A criminal group from the underground scene lead by Antonio Fernández Carriedo.”

At the mention of the name, both sisters blinked, but the Prince proceeded: “He had targeted me several years ago.”

Sakura suddenly turned towards her sister, biting lightly on her lip. Of course the enchanted Prince noticed her restlessness and silenced. Something was wrong. It was not only that he cared greatly for her well-being and hated to see her unsettled, but it was something about the manner she showed her nervousness that caught him. “You know him?” he concluded and feared the worst as the oldest of the siblings nodded.

“We do. W-We had worked for him.”

It was all that needed to be said. Unbeknownst to the female, Arthur put his lips in a grim line. ‘I should have known,’ he mused. He had tried avoiding her; his pride was hurt by the thought that she would never have him. That falling in love with her had not been planned and now she had a past with a criminal that had tried to overthrow him all these years ago. He was uncertain if she had operated against him when she had been hired by the group. Arthur was glad for the hood to hide his true feelings from everybody.

“I understand,” he said bitterly.

His brother made his presence known as he cleared his throat. “I think it is time to tell about the curse . . .”

Now that the cursed Prince was in his darkest mood, he did not object. What _she_ must already think of him did not matter for Arthur was certain that there had not been much positive thought towards him in the beginning.

“Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Nyo!North Italy goes by the name Alice. Hima liked the name and it is spelled Ah-LEE-che in Italian) (*Source: http://hetalia.kitawiki.net). I love to display Turkey’s and Greece’s rivalry :’D. Salvador is suppose to be APH Portugal :) . I will be able to update regularly in a few weeks. ]


	26. Chapter 26

_“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” ― Ernest Hemingway_

* * *

Arthur was certain that he had not once had such a day like this. During the years of his cursed life he did have moments of sadness, depression and anger. Although they had decreased over the last past years; he needed to cope with his situation and so did those around him – and they had done so successfully, supporting him during these years and accepting that the enchantment was part of him. Over the course, Arthur had been more in disagreement with his inner self and the moment of when he had been cursed played repeatedly in his head. This day, it was no different, although the circumstances had changed: Not only had he finally learnt of the enemy that wanted him dead, but he was confronted with the fact that the woman he loved had once worked for Antonio – and he did not know if she had plotted against him. This information was bitter . . . It was time to disclose the secret. Arthur (his face still hidden under his hood) glanced towards the small crowd in front of him: _She_ was looking at him with a concerned expression on her face, while the other presents in the room wished to be finally told of the curse. How embarrassing.

Not even magic could help him escaping this awful place. How he dreaded to speak of this ridiculous occurrence of having been transformed into an ugly beast. But he knew it could not be helped, he owned them an explanation for they had already agreed on helping him without knowing of the awful event. The cursed Prince sighed loudly, looking down, hiding his face further behind the hood that was the only sanctuary at that moment.

“It had been an accident,” the first words rang through the grand room, his voice sounding bitter to his own ears. “I –” He interrupted himself, looking around as if the door would open itself for him to flee from this dreadful situation. Had it only been his brother, he would not mind– even if he already knew the history – but the other faces were not lifting his nerves. But what had he to lose anyway?

Without glancing up, he began telling the tale that had changed him ten years ago: “As the oldest son, I had to fulfil a role. The responsibilities were part of it, just as the royal lifestyle. Like my brother, I completed the education of a soldier and during the missions we had met several enemies. And one of them was Antonio Fernández Carriedo.” He observed Lien and Sakura. The former wore a blank expression while the latter’s emotions were mirrored in her eyes: she was concerned. Arthur even thought of having seen regret in her eyes but focused his sight immediately to the floor and proceeded in his speaking, “It was the beginning of our rivalry . . . but in the end, he lost and we conquered part of land. Years after that conquest, I had never dreamt of seeing him again . . . although he had never been someone to have accepted defeat so easily. It was ten years ago during the festivities of our Crown that he forced himself back into my life.” He stilled several seconds.

“Somehow his group of delinquents had managed to sneak into the castle without our guards knowing. Antonio must have gotten a map of it, for he knew where my chamber was.”

Alfred grunted, mentioning that a spy must have broken into the tall building – Arthur’s gaze immediately focused on Sakura, analysing her stance, recognising any sign of reaction that seemed to confirm the suspicion of her having been engaged in that mission. He let out a relieved sigh when her face remained unchanged – the cursed Prince knew her enough to detect any small change of her lovely eyes. She inclined her head as if to ask him to continue.

“My mother and nurses took the time to tell us stories of fairy tales – how the sleeping Princess woke up with a kiss from her beloved Prince, how an enchanted frog transformed back to a human-being or how a Prince saved one entire Kingdom by fighting an evil sorceress. As a child I loved it, as I grew older, I hated it. As if all the responsibilities of a royal heir was nothing but a fairy tale. No war, no forceful marriage to another aristocrat. It was pure mockery of my life: as if a kiss from _one’s true love_ would give us all freedom and defeat all evil.” How had he gotten so off topic? He did not dare to watch Sakura’s reaction of his outburst. But he knew that he and her sister must be confused by this information he was giving. Still he had to explain some of the elements that involved his curse, those fairy tales being one of them.

“I had been in my bedchamber.” He gulped at that sentence, more than glad to wear a hood to hide his blush that had suddenly crept up his face. He was embarrassed. “I was . . . foxed.” The way he had pressed out the words mirrored itself in his tone – he closed his eyes. His teenager years as a Prince had not been those of a responsible, brave young man who should someday rule over the Kingdom. He was often told that it was quite normal to behave as such during these years, although he did not like speaking of it in front of people. Alfred almost nudged him in order to continue; if the cursed Prince would not proceed, Alfred would assist him and how much his younger sibling would speak of it was something Arthur clearly wanted to avoid as much as possible.

“I don’t know if it had been the alcohol or if someone had put something in my drink–” he stopped abruptly, seeing the expression of Alfred’s face. “Well, there had been another person in my room . . .” Once again he went silent and the two hunters watched him carefully – they were the only ones in the grand room who had not yet heard of the tale.

Sakura, who was growing concerned by this odd silence shifted uncomfortably – she was not one to be nervous at receiving such information but seeing Arthur’s hunched form, his tapping foot, she assumed the worst. “An assassin?” she asked, not wanting to endure this silence any longer. All the heads turned towards her, her sister not watching her for both shared the same suspicion.

Arthur’s form stiffened and he looked straight at her – even if he was wearing a hood, Sakura could still make out the contours of his face due to the sunlight coming through the tall windows of the room. His confused expression changed to another indistinct one. “Not quite,” Alfred spoke and he tilted his head – a sign, which Sakura immediately understood. _Another person_ , why he had chosen that expression instead of speaking directly what he meant: _A woman, a harlot._ Had he tried to paraphrase it for the sake of her? She asked herself why he should. He had been a handsome Prince, so of course women around the Kingdom favoured his company and she could not blame them for doing so.

“It was a spy, paid by Antonio,” Alfred concluded and Arthur continued the story: “She had brought the drinks, although she must have put something into it. She had suddenly spoken of fairy tales and this subject was somehow unnerving me . . . She told me of a poor desolated man who will rise and claim the throne with the help of magic, a throne that he would deserve, for he was a better King than anyone. I had heard familiar words years ago when I defeated Antonio. But she would not stop talking about her stories and got me angry. I mocked all those ideas of such fairy tales and magic, claiming that I will demonstrate what a _perfect_ fairy tale was . . . The only thing I could remember after my outburst was that female’s laugh and the sudden force of magical powers inside me.”

“In short: it had escalated.” Alfred felt the need to conclude this sentence; his brother had not the courage to lift his head.

“I was too foxed to know what spell I had used, what curse had taken over me . . .”

It took five full minutes for someone else to speak. “You cursed yourself with your own magic?” Sakura asked in a whisper, receiving a nod from Arthur. Antonio’s plan had not included the matter of cursing the Prince, nonetheless it had been a success for the criminal.

“And the woman?” Lien questioned, looking at Alfred when Arthur did not reply.

“She was caught by the guards and executed by the laws of _Whitefort_. Of course she had mentioned something of Fernández Carriedo but it had never been certain, although I somehow _knew . . ._ ”

“Did you tell them that she had used a magical potion on you?”

The hooded Prince shook his head. “No . . . It is no secret that I have inherited my mother’s powers, although her magic was far less strong than mine. But our informants of the castle had found out the woman’s identity. It was not the first time she had used her tricks on someone. Had I not been a magician myself, the potion would have killed me.” It was the reason that was always mentioned and Arthur had once suspected that his body had reacted on impulse to save itself from the potion – but he did not know, the state of his body was quite uncertain for him.

No other word was exchanged until the youngest Prince asked the one question Arthur had hoped would finally be formed loudly.

“When exactly did you serve Fernández Carriedo and for what mission?”

* * *

Eliza was still starring at Gilbert with widened eyes. “You mean to tell me that he had cursed himself?” Her partner nodded, claiming that it had all happened with a set of incidences which had come to such an end. Even if they had not wished Arthur to be enchanted – for an assassin was more likely to happen – the result had still been satisfying. Now the people of the Kingdom could see their future King how he was not even able to save himself with his own magic but rather having put himself in misery. Who would want such a kind of King?

The barmaid and Gilbert were currently in the back of the tavern; no guests occupied the bar as the sun had only risen.

“So this criminal group has planned the overthrown for years . . . And now they hide and wait for the inhabiting people to question everything.”

Gilbert nodded again. “Eliza, they want to provoke people into a rebellion. That is why this poster had been created for. That is the reason why the bounty huntress had decided to have my Prince’s head.”

The brunette watched the man’s facial expression change into light concern – he was not only worried for his future King. His brother was also part of the servants. After they had successfully caught Karpusi, whose residence at that moment was in the cellar (and got often visited by Ivan), Eliza had ceased quarrelling with the silver-haired man. He too had stopped with his bickering, for he was clearly in his thoughts due to the situation. It was not an easy one . . .

“Eliza, if this happens, I want you gone from the village.” The words were clear and void of any anger. They were spoken in a most emergent tone.

“I am not taking orders from you,” she replied with a challenging look, causing the man to groan.

“This is not an order.” Months ago he had provoked her, having startet one argument after another with her, only to now speak fondly towards her. Despite herself, Eliza felt drawn to him. He had changed and as he spoke of wanting to form a friendship with her, she knew that he was attached to her. The man would not force her in returning his feelings and she much appreciated that. Even if she denied her own feelings in that case. Eliza could not dwell on this topic, now was not the time to discuss this.

“Sakura is my friend . . . And so are you, and what am I supposed to do? Running towards another Kingdom without money or the surety of an occupation?”

He considered her words but shook his head. “They are dangerous . . . Although you are powerful.” His obnoxious smile surprised her, he had witnessed her energy by first hand – her cheeks reddened and did not go unnoticed by Gilbert. He wanted to utter a comment, but she did not let him.

“We have Ivan and he will support us,” she blurted, “I have vowed to help you.” Even if this vow had been made for the sake of not being murdered. Gilbert shuddered at the mention of her employer.

“We don’t need an angry mob or army, when we have Ivan . . . But heaven help me if I need to introduce him to Sophia.”

Eliza smiled ruefully, patting Gilbert’s shoulder – something she had somehow getting used to – and saying: “After this, you have to.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Please excuse my lack of updates. I had a small writer’s block and I worked on another story of mine. I wanted to finish it as soon as possible due to other projects (as an artist you sometimes have to many projects :’D). I will update this story as much as I can, although I don’t know if it will be weekly or once a month. Thank you for patience.]

**Author's Note:**

> [A/N: Japan is a badass bounty hunter in this story ;) Just one small piece of information: both sisters write each other, but only know the basics of writing and reading: they had learned the way of fighting and not the way of writing poems. And yes, the mentioned white-haired man is Gilbert ;) ]


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